Forbidden
by solitaryloner
Summary: For VictimOfDoubt! It's forbidden...for a servant to fall in love with a princess. And a princess can never be allowed to love a mere servant either, right? She's already engaged - but I can't help yearning for her. I wonder, does she feel the same way about me? But even if she does, we can't do anything. Because our love will always be forbidden. ReiXMikuXLen. Angst alert.
1. Chapter 1

_Do you know what it's like, to love someone who will not...cannot love you back? It hurts._

_It hurts a lot._

Rei Kagene blinked as he watched the princess laugh. She was _beautiful _when she laughed - everything about her was beautiful. Her peals of laughter sounded like wind chimes tinkling, and Rei suddenly felt _jealous _of whatever her sweet laughter was being directed at.

_I'm such a idiot. She'll never be interested in me. She's a princess, while me...I'm just a humble servant the royal family was kind enough to take in._

But he still couldn't help falling harder and harder for her. Day by day, he watched her, and she never paid him any attention.

_It hurts._

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''Miku, you're already eighteen. It's high time that you got married,'' her father spoke to her. Miku folded her arms.

''I don't _want _to marry anyone,'' she mumbled. Miku liked her freedom, and being married would prevent her from having fun.

If she got married, she would have to attend state banquets with her husband, and other royal functions. She would have to act _prim and proper, _like royalty. She would have to act like her _position, _like the princess she was.

How Miku hated all this. _Everyone is born human, so why is it that some people are considered 'royalty' while others are considered 'servants'? What makes us so special?_

Of course, she knew that without some form of leadership, countries would fall into ruin, tearing themselves apart as people fought for dominance and power. However, the leaders of countries and states should be elected based on ability, on the needs of the people...

Not because of bloodlines and ties, like now. She was the daughter of the king, so it was expected of her and her husband to rule over her country, upon the death of her parents.

_That's completely unfair. How would anyone know whether or not I have the ability to lead the country?_

''But you will like your fiancé, Miku,'' her mother coaxed. ''It's one of your childhood friends. I'm sure you'll still remember him, when he comes around. You used to spend so much time together!''

Miku hesitated. ''One of my childhood friends?'' she repeated slowly. A prince of some royal family, no doubt - royalty could only marry royalty, after all.

No royal wanted to taint their precious bloodlines, their pure family trees.

The servant who was setting food on the table for them while they talked paused, almost as though he was listening to the conversation. Miku doubted he was, though - what interest would _he _have in who she married?

His name was Rei Kagene, she knew. He was her age, and they used to play together when they were young. Rei had been with her royal family since the age of five, and he had been serving them ever since.

They had been close once, she recalled - now, she was lucky if he even bothered to say anything to her besides the usual ''Good day, princess''. It made her feel a little abandoned - Rei had been her closest friend, in the past.

_Well, not anymore._

He had never told her what she did wrong - it was just that slowly, slowly, over the years, he had pulled further away from her, and he had ignored whatever attempts she had made to talk to him. So she had given up on him.

If he didn't want to talk to her, she wouldn't force him, though she really hated to lose a friend like Rei. He was loyal, witty and charming, and he always knew how to make her laugh.

Ever since their friendship had taken a turn for the worse, Miku had laughed much less.

''Yes,'' her father replied, absently picking up a glass of wine and sipping from it. ''Rei,'' he called out, and Rei bowed.

''Yes, your Majesty?'' he murmured, his black hair falling over one of his honey-coloured eyes. Miku had always liked his eyes - they were warm, vibrant, full of life. He was extremely good-looking - one would have thought he was aristocratic, not just a mere servant, and many of the servant girls in the palace had set their sights upon him.

But now, those warm, honey-coloured eyes were reserved, playing the role of humble servant to his master.

_Maybe that's why I can't stand being considered royalty when I'm no different from any other human being. Because of Rei._

_Why does he act like he's nothing when he's as good as any royal?_

''Do you mind getting us some more wine? We appear to be running out,'' her father waved his hand at the bottle of wine on the table. Almost empty.

Rei hesitated, and Miku thought she saw, for the first time, reluctance flicker through his honey eyes. ''Yes, your Majesty,'' he finally said, retreating from the room.

It was the first time she had ever seen Rei obey an order without hundred percent compliance. Was he really listening to their conversation?

Still, she doubted it. Especially given the way Rei treated her now. Like he couldn't stand to be anywhere near her.

_What did I ever do to Rei to make him treat me like this?_

Her mother's voice jerked her out of her reverie. ''Your friend will be coming tomorrow,'' she said brightly. ''I have all confidence that you will like him. You _used _to, after all - I remember, when you were six, and you told me you wanted to marry him when you grew up?''

Miku's eyes widened. ''Mother! _Him? _I was young and thoughtless then - I didn't really like him that much!''

Her father laughed at her expense. ''Miku, it seems like you're in some denial,'' he teased, and Miku's cheeks warmed.

She loved her father. Though he was cool and distant while settling royal business, when they were in private like now, her father loved to tease and joke. The king doted on his only child - her, the princess Miku Hatsune.

''I don't like him,'' she repeated, cheeks still warm. _Oh, who am I kidding? I still like him._

Rei walked back into the room then, and Miku raised her eyebrows. That had been a very short time, considering the fact that the distance between here and the wine cellar was not a small one.

However, Rei didn't look like he had broken a sweat. He smiled. ''Your wine, your Majesty,'' he murmured, holding out the bottle.

The king smiled back. ''Good lad. Here, pour it out for me, will you, Rei?''

Rei pulled out the cork of the wine bottle, and went towards the king. Her parents had always had a soft spot for Rei, especially since Rei had been her friend and a servant of the royal family ever since young.

Her father looked at her once more. ''So anyway, I expect you to be ready to greet your future fiancé tomorrow morning. I expect Len Kagamine will be _most interested _in meeting you as well. You haven't seen each other for ten years, after all!''

''Yes, Father,'' Miku nodded, her long teal hair falling around her face. She glanced up at Rei, who was pouring wine into her father's glass.

Rei looked right back at her and nodded before setting the bottle on the table and quickly leaving the room. Her parents frowned, but let his behaviour go. Miku wondered, though...

What was the emotion she had seen in those honey eyes?


	2. Chapter 2

_She's going to marry Len Kagamine._

Rei sighed, running his fingers through his thick black hair. _There's no point in getting jealous - you never had a chance with her, anyway._

He went to his room. Unlike the other servants, Rei had a room near the princess. Miku had requested that Rei's room be near hers, due to the fact that they were childhood friends.

As Rei grew older, he had asked the king if he could be moved to the servant's quarters. However, the king had loved his daughter so much he had flatly refused, telling Rei to continue living next to the princess.

Rei had been disappointed. Secretly thrilled, yes, but still disappointed - for what was the point when Miku would never have any feelings for him? Their relationship was platonic, and _nothing _was ever going to change that.

Ever since he had first met her, he had liked her. And instead of fading, those feelings of like had grown. When he was five, he had found her pretty, had wanted to know her better.

As he grew older, finding out what was like and love, lust and infatuation, he wondered whether he _liked _Miku that way.

He realised, when he was twelve, that he did. That his feelings for her was more than what he should feel for a friend.

It was around that time that he slowly started withdrawing from Miku - talking less, their exchanges becoming shorter, briefer. He had hoped that by withdrawing from her, he wouldn't like her _that way _anymore.

But even so, as he watched her from a distance, the feelings he had for her just grew and intensified. He liked the way she laughed, the sound of her voice, the sparkle in her forest-green eyes, the way she walked...he liked everything about her.

He had wondered whether it was just lust, mere infatuation. Had believed it was, for a while - but then he hit the age of sixteen, and by then he could no longer be in her presence without yearning, _aching _to hold her, to whisper sweet nothings into her ear.

In desperation, he totally withdrew from her, and even then _it didn't work._

That was when he knew he loved the princess - she was kind, sweet, and though she tried to act tough, she was delicate. Vulnerable. He wanted to keep her safe, but he didn't know how. He didn't know whether he _could, _when she would never love him the way he loved her.

_It really hurts, to see her and know she will never want me that way. She thinks of me as a friend, and nothing more. No matter what I desire, I will never be more than a friend._

He supposed it was good that she was going to marry Len Kagamine - she _did _like the prince, after all. His lips tilted up into a small smile - a smile which didn't hide his pain.

When they were eight, Miku had told him she liked Len Kagamine. Rei had stopped talking to her for a week, he had been so upset.

Up till now, Miku still didn't know why he had ignored her. He didn't talk to her anymore, not ever since they were sixteen, and sometimes Rei wondered whether he should have pulled away.

He knew Miku missed him, but it was still _only like how she would miss a friend. _It would be better for him to minimise interaction between them. Though he hated that.

It was the only way he could protect his heart, the heart which had been broken far too many times before.

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''Rei?'' Rei turned around, throat suddenly constricted. He knew that voice - he would be able to recognise that sweet voice _anywhere, _it was as familiar to him as his own.

''Princess,'' he said hesitantly. ''Good day, princess. What would you like me to do for you?''

She looked up at him, her lovely green eyes flashing with hurt. She was a petite girl, barely reaching his shoulders. ''Do I have to have some task for you to carry out before I am allowed to talk to you?''

He bowed, his black hair once again falling into his eyes. ''That must be so, princess - I am nought but a humble servant, who exists only to carry out your orders.''

''What happened to us, Rei?'' she asked softly, her voice so _sad. _''We used to be carefree, to be able to joke and laugh. Have fun. Why are you so distant now? What did I do wrong?''

Rei's eyes widened, and his gaze dropped to the floor, unable to meet her stare. ''It's not you, princess.'' _How could you ever be blamed for anything? _''It's just that...I am a servant. And you are royalty. It is my duty to serve you. To be seen, but not heard.''

''What kind of stupid rule is that?'' Miku placed her hands on her hips, stepping closer so he was forced to look down, meeting her eyes. ''We used to be friends, Rei - didn't you value that friendship at all?''

_I did, Miku - you have no idea how much I did._

''The fact that your Highness ever lowered herself to befriend one as low-ranked as I is a great honour, and I treasure that beyond any other possession I own.''

''Rei!'' Miku touched his arm, and on instinct Rei jerked away, eyes widening. He looked up in time to see her eyes flicker with pain.

_Damn._

''Fine,'' she said softly. ''If you really can't stand my presence so much, then I won't ever bother you again, _Rei Kagene,_'' she walked off, but not before he saw the faint sheen of unshod tears gathering in her green eyes.

Rei stared after her, regretting every single thing he had just said.

_That's why I can't be anywhere near her. It just brings both of us more pain._

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Miku angrily used the sleeve of her dress to wipe away her tears. _What's wrong with me? What did I ever do to Rei Kagene?_

She didn't understand why he was being so cold to her, why he didn't act like her friend at all. It was like they were nothing more than strangers, two strangers meeting on the streets.

''He doesn't give a damn about our friendship. I don't understand why I should care, if he doesn't,'' she mumbled to herself.

What had hurt the most was the reverent way Rei's sensuous, velvet voice had called her ''Your Highness'', as though she was some kind of _goddess_while he was nothing.

_You're so much more than a mere servant, Rei - you could be so much more. Why don't you want to be? Why are you willing to serve here, for thirteen years, when you're so much more than a humble servant?_

She knew what he was capable of - Rei had studied with her. They were taught by the same tutors, and Rei Kagene had excelled in every subject - Latin, Arts, Maths, Science, Modern Languages, Geography, History...he was better than her in everything.

He could be so much more, so why didn't he want to be? Why was he willing to _stay?_

_And why won't you talk to me anymore, Rei?_


	3. Chapter 3

''Miku! He's here - go greet him!''

''I'm coming, Mother!'' Miku called out, quickly tying her hair up into an elegant bun. She opened her room door, darting out into the corridor.

She didn't notice a pair of eyes, the colour of warm honey, staring after her. Rei gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the feelings of _jealousy _he felt.

_I don't have any right to feel jealous. At all. She is the princess, and I am her servant. That's all we can ever be._

He followed after her, trailing slowly behind her so that she wouldn't notice him. He followed her all the way to the main entrance of the palace, and watched as she greeted the blonde prince and his cousin.

When Miku went forward to hug Len Kagamine, Rei felt like he was being torn apart. He turned away, unable to continue watching.

_I despise how much I adore her. I hate the pain my love for her causes. But I can't help it - I can't stop loving her._

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''Len!'' Miku cried out happily, moving forward to throw her arms around him. Len Kagamine grinned, hugging her back. Miku had to suppress a blush.

He was still as handsome as she remembered - with his golden-blonde hair and eyes the colour of a summer sky, he was gorgeous. And he reminded her, for some strange reason, of Rei Kagene.

_I'm not going to think about Rei, since he so obviously doesn't want to talk to me._

''How about me, Miku? Have you forgotten me so quickly?'' the voice of a girl floated to her ears, and Miku let go of Len, eyes widening.

''Lenka!'' Miku went to Len's cousin, who resembled Len so much. The two girls hugged each other tight, not having seen the other for years, while Len good-naturedly rolled his eyes and smiled.

''It's been such a long time, how are you two?'' Miku finally asked, letting go of Lenka.

''We're fine,'' Lenka answered, her blue eyes, a shade lighter than her cousin's, sparkling with humour. ''How about you, Miku? You're going to be my _cousin-in-law _soon - doesn't that sound cool?'' she asked wickedly.

''Lenka!'' Both she and Len exclaimed at the same time. Their gazes met and they both blushed a little, averting their eyes. Lenka smirked knowingly.

''How _sweet,_'' she sang. ''You both think the exact same way! It's a match made in heaven, Miku and Len - your names go so _nicely _together. I hear wedding bells.''

''Lenka, I'm going to kill you,'' Len threatened. Lenka smiled sweetly at her cousin and mimed zipping her mouth shut.

Miku had to laugh at the antics of the pair. ''How do you put up with that little demoness?'' she asked Len.

''I don't know, either,'' he shrugged helplessly. ''She's a she-devil, out to devour my soul.''

''I'm right here, you know,'' Lenka pouted. ''Do you have any food, Miku?'' she perked up. ''I'm hungry. We haven't eaten for ages!''

''Sure, Father and Mother had a feast set out in the dining hall to welcome your arrival. Follow me,'' she smiled, walking into the palace. She heard Len and Lenka following after her.

It really had been a long time since she had last talked to the pair. Ten years, as her parents had reminded her. Lenka was still her usual sweet, adorable self, but Len had _changed _- he had always been good-looking, but he had changed from boyish, youthful cuteness to the more refined, handsome look of a _man._

His blonde hair was still tied up in his usual blonde ponytail, though it was longer now, reaching his shoulders. It only added to his appeal, and Miku wondered what his hair would feel like. It looked so soft.

She blushed and stopped that line of thought. Len glanced at her, and quickly looked away as their gazes met. Miku smiled.

_Does he like me too?_

As they neared the dining hall, she heard someone hiss her name. She whirled around, startled, looking for the person, and spotted Rei Kagene, standing next to a tall potted plant.

He called her name again, and Miku's eyes widened. Len and Lenka followed her gaze, looking confused. ''Miku?'' Lenka asked softly, sounding unsure.

''The dining hall's there, right around the bend. I'll join you later,'' Miku reassured them. ''Go ahead without me.''

They hesitated, then nodded, following her directions. Len's eyes met hers, filled with curiosity, but he didn't ask any questions, and Miku was thankful for that.

As soon as the pair disappeared around the corner, Miku went towards Rei, whose honey-coloured eyes were filled with a haunted sadness.

She liked his eyes. She had always liked his eyes - now, they made her feel like she was drowning, drowning in those amber pools.

She didn't think she had ever seen another pair of eyes which looked so sad. So..._haunted. _That was the only word she could use to describe his gaze - he looked like he was in _pain, _like he had some kind of dark secret which he wanted to share but never could.

''Rei?'' she asked curiously, cautiously. He hadn't wanted to talk to her yesterday - what had changed? Why did he suddenly change his mind about talking to her?

''I...I have something I need to tell you,'' he hesitated. ''Something which I shouldn't say, but I _want _to, even if it's the last thing I ever do.''

''What is it, Rei?'' she asked, curious. He averted his gaze, staring down at the floor. He did that a lot when he was talking to her, for some reason - like he didn't dare to look into her eyes.

It made Miku wonder, what was it about her that had changed, so much that Rei could no longer bear to be around her the way he had in the past?

_It hurts, that our friendship changed so much, that something so precious was discarded, thrown away so easily._

Still, he didn't speak, and Miku sighed. ''If there's nothing, Rei...then I have to be getting to the dining hall. I'm expected there.''

She turned to leave, and his fingers shot out to grab her wrist, preventing her from walking away. Her eyes widened - Rei had touched her? He never had, before. Ever since he had withdrawn from her.

''I...I don't like seeing you with Len Kagamine,'' he mumbled, voice barely audible. Miku stared at him, disbelieving.

''Why not?'' she finally asked, voice shaky.

''I just don't,'' he muttered, turning away from her so that she couldn't see his face. ''Please don't ask me anything else, Princess.''

Miku's eyes narrowed. ''Rei. You don't even talk to me normally anymore. I don't know whether we're still friends or not. And if we aren't, you don't have the right to decide who I'm with.''

''I know that,'' he said, voice so soft it was almost a whisper. ''But I still don't like it, Miku. I hate seeing you with someone else.'' His eyes met hers, filled with sadness. ''I can't stand it.''

Before she could question him further, he let go of her wrist and walked, no, _ran _away, down the passageway and out of sight. Miku stared after him, wondering at his strange behaviour.

_Why would Rei care about who I'm with, anyway? He can't be jealous - we're not even friends anymore, not really._

Slowly, hesitantly, she walked towards the dining hall, her mind still thinking about Rei and his strange words.

_I hate seeing you with someone else._


	4. Chapter 4

Miku walked towards the dining hall, still thinking about Rei. When she walked into the hall, Lenka jumped out at her, blue eyes burning with curiosity.

''Who was that, Miku?'' she asked, eyes wide. ''That boy with the black hair. He looks a _lot _like Len! I thought it was him, for a split second!''

''Lenka...'' Len's voice sounded from behind his cousin. ''That isn't really important, is it?''

''But I want to know,'' Lenka sighed. ''You don't get to see someone who looks like you everyday, you know.''

''Why, aren't I right here?'' Len smirked at his cousin. ''Just admit you're a female version of me, Lenka - we look exactly the same. Except with long hair. That's the only difference between you and Rin, anyway.''

''Where's Rin, anyway? Why didn't she come?'' Miku asked the pair. Rin was Len's twin sister, and she and Len were usually inseparable.

''She has some stuff to settle, back at home. I've no idea what she's doing, but I think I'm going to be quite sorry for Kaito. She didn't seem happy with him, for some reason.''

Kaito was Rin's fiancé. Miku wondered what he had done to piss Rin off. She was a sweet girl, bubbly and cheerful, and it took a lot to upset her, usually.

The total opposite of Rei, who was withdrawn, aloof, and _sad. _He was always so sad, for some strange reason. She didn't know why - and he wouldn't tell her, anyway. Ever since they were young, Rei's eyes had been haunted, and he had never shared the reason why.

She didn't know much about his past, for he never told her. She had asked him before, but he had kept silent, and her own parents refused to tell her anything about him. All she knew about Rei was that both his parents were dead, leaving him an orphan, the only survivor of some terrible accident.

It made her want to hold and comfort her friend, her black-haired friend with the sad honey eyes. Maybe that was why his eyes were so haunted-looking, she mused. Because both his parents had died in an accident, leaving him alone in this world?

''Miku?'' Len smiled at her, taking her hand. ''You were daydreaming again, weren't you?''

She smiled back, a little guiltily. ''Yeah, I was,'' she glanced at the clock in the dining hall. ''Let's eat. It's almost time for lunch, anyway.''

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Rei wondered what had come over him.

He hadn't meant to tell her all that, but the words had just slipped out of their own accord, and try as he might he hadn't been able to prevent himself from uttering those words.

_Because it's the truth, the truth that you have suppressed for far too long._

Rei _didn't _like seeing Miku with someone else. It was true. But he knew he had no choice except to put up with it - Miku was the princess, and it was expected of her to interact with the royals and princes of other royal families.

_But it doesn't mean that I have to like it._

_Though I have no right to be jealous. She's my princess, and I am her servant. She can do whatever she likes, I'm supposed to say nothing. Be seen and not heard._

Rei sighed, walking back into his room, the room which was too near the princess for his comfort. It didn't help, being so near the princess, when he was trying his utmost to forget about her.

_It's been thirteen years. If she ever was interested in you, she would have said something, by now. What you hope for can never happen - she will never look at you as more than a mere friend._

_Does she even consider me as a friend anymore, now that I'm so closed-off from her?_

''Why can't I forget you?'' Rei asked aloud, staring at the door which led to Miku's room. ''I wish I could. I wish I could stop watching, always watching you. But I _can't,_'' his voice trailed off.

_I continue to act as a humble servant and do what you wish me to do, because that's the only way I can try and make you happy._

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''Did your parents tell you that...we're supposed to get engaged?'' Len's voice was hesitant. Miku glanced up at him and nodded, blushing.

He exhaled. ''I'd like that,'' he said softly. ''Being your fiancé. Though it's been a long while since we last met...I still like you,'' he admitted quickly, looking away.

Miku blinked, then she found his hand, holding it tight. ''I still like you, too,'' she whispered softly, smiling a little at him. ''I'm surprised my parents remembered that.''

His blue eyes, the colour of a summer sky, met hers. ''My parents were telling me to go find a bride. And I told them that I only wanted you,'' he said softly. Miku froze.

Len had said that? Her heart fluttered. _I never would have thought he liked me the way I liked him. He's just so...perfect._

''Thanks,'' she finally mumbled, face flaming, not knowing what else to say. His eyes softened, and he raised her hand to his lips, barely brushing her skin.

''Will you marry me, Miku?'' he asked, in a voice like silken velvet.

''Yes,'' she whispered, throwing her arms around him. Len hugged her back tightly, and the two of them embraced, holding each other close.

Neither one of them noticed the pair of honey-coloured eyes staring at them from a distance. Those eyes were filled with pain as they stared at the princess, and Rei wondered why he still bothered to watch her.

It happened all the time. He would see Miku, talking to some prince or other aristocrat, and he would feel like this. Jealous. Hurt. But especially when he saw her with Len. Maybe it was because he knew she actually _liked _Len.

_Every time I see her with Len, I feel..._

_And now he proposed to her, and she accepted. What I hope for is impossible, which is why I gave up so long ago._

_Why is it that, though my mind has given up, my heart still hopes that one day, one day she might love me back?_


	5. Chapter 5

It was night time. Rei couldn't sleep. As usual.

He always found it difficult to go to sleep at night. When he closed his eyes, images of the _accident _would come and haunt him, and he would replay his parents' deaths, over and over again. He shuddered.

_I wonder if I can ever come to terms with their deaths? Restless dead, coming back to haunt people with their memories..._

Rei slid off his bed. Not bothering to light a lantern, he opened his room door, intending to go take a night-time stroll through the palace. That was his usual remedy for his insomnia - it worked for him, and when he came back he would have less problems getting to sleep.

But this time, instead of taking his usual route out to the kitchens, Rei hesitated. He closed his room door and, instead of looking down the passageway, he stared at Miku's door.

Slowly, careful not to make a sound, he turned her doorknob, pushing the door open. Hesitantly, he crept into her room, closing the door behind him.

Miku slept in her bed, her face peaceful. Innocent. Lying in bed, she looked innocent and vulnerable, her long eyelashes curling against her cheeks, like a porcelain doll.

Rei went nearer, just watching her. He stood next to her, content to just watch her sleep. She looked so _beautiful, _at rest with the world.

He didn't know how long he stood there for, but before long she started to mutter in her sleep. Right. He remembered. Miku talked in her sleep, on occasion...he thought she had gotten rid of that habit.

He smiled, recalling the last time he had heard her talking in her sleep. They had been twelve, and he had been sent to wake her up from a nap. Then, he had found out _who _was the culprit who had caused a plate full of macaroni to spill over the cook's head - Miku herself, obviously.

''Rei,'' he heard her say softly, and he froze. Had she woken up? Her eyes were closed, so he relaxed. She was just sleep talking.

Curious, he listened more closely. She seemed more distressed now than previously - there was a slight frown on her porcelain forehead, her green locks of hair curling over that same forehead. Gently, Rei brushed her hair away from her eyes.

''Don't leave me again,'' Miku murmured, and Rei's hand shot back, startled. Who was leaving her, in her dream? What was she dreaming about? Was she dreaming of Len?

''Rei!'' her eyes snapped open, filled with panic. Rei froze, not knowing what to do. Her lovely green eyes settled upon him, soft and dreamy still, and she smiled.

''You didn't leave this time,'' she said softly, voice drowsy. ''Rei. You came back. Will you stay, this time? Stay with me.''

She had been dreaming about him? Rei swallowed. ''Yes, Miku. I'll stay if you want me to.''

''I want you to stay with me,'' her voice was sad. ''Why did you pull away from me, Rei? What did I do? I never want you to leave...why did you leave me alone?''

Her eyelids fluttered as she yawned, drifting back to sleep before he had to reply. Rei didn't know what to think.

''Oh, and Rei?'' her eyes opened again. ''I liked you. I always had. Will you stay? Please? Don't walk away from me again...''

This time, when her eyes closed, they remained closed. Rei swallowed, heart fluttering in his chest as he tried to process her words.

_I liked you. I always had._

Miku didn't ever lie when she was dreaming, and she had obviously thought that Rei was just a dream.

_Miku liked me? _Hope went through him, but at the same time he squashed that hope, trying to be more realistic.

_So what if she liked me? It was probably in the past, back when we were closer. She's engaged to Len Kagamine now - nothing I do can change that. No matter how much I can't bear the thought, she's going to marry him._

_I love you, Miku - please stop torturing me like this._

Rei sighed. He had promised her that he wouldn't leave her, and he always kept his promises. Slowly, he sat on the edge of her bed, holding onto her hand. Her fingers tightened around his, just briefly, but he squeezed her hand back.

This was just like old times. Where Rei would watch Miku sleep, holding her hand while she slept. To keep the nightmares away from her, so that when she woke up he would be the first person she would see. So that he could comfort her whenever she got frightened.

Miku used to have plenty of nightmares, as a child. He always comforted her, made sure that the nightmares wouldn't come back to haunt her.

That was back when they were children, carefree and innocent. When Rei didn't torture himself over Miku - he liked her. End of story.

Now, he tried to stay away and forget because he was no longer that little boy. He no longer had unrealistic dreams and hopes, like hoping Miku would fall for him too. Now, he was older.

Rei Kagene now knew better than to cling on to childhood hopes and dreams, unrealistic and unattainable. _Because she will never like me, when I'm nothing but her humble servant._

_And yet, my heart still hopes for otherwise, like the child I used to be so many years ago._

He yawned, and decided that he should go to bed. As he released Miku's hand, he felt her fingers tighten around his hand momentarily. His eyes widened, and he tugged a little. His hand slid out of her grasp.

She frowned in her sleep, but she didn't say anything. Still, that small frown made Rei feel guilty. _I did promise to stay with her, after all - even if she thought that I was nothing but a mere dream._

Leaning down, he let his lips brush gently against her forehead, and the frown smoothed out. She sighed, sounding contented, and Rei swallowed.

Hesitantly, he let his fingers brush against the soft skin of her cheek. ''I can't stand the sight of seeing you with Len Kagamine,'' he said softly, ''because I want to be the one standing next to you instead.''

With that, Rei forced himself to turn away and leave her room. He had stayed longer than he should have, done things that, as a humble servant, he had no right to do.

_Will you remember what you revealed in the morning, Miku? Will you remember that tonight, instead of walking away, I stayed with you?_


	6. Chapter 6

_Rei stayed last night. He actually stayed._

Usually, in her dreams, Rei ran away from her, like in real life. She always dreamt about Rei - though she didn't know why. Maybe it was because she was just _that _troubled over their broken friendship.

But last night, he had actually stayed. He had come back, and Miku blushed a little, remembering that she had told him her deepest secret, the secret that she couldn't let anyone know - that she liked him.

_At least it was only a dream. And dream Rei won't say anything. Dream Rei doesn't like me, even in my dreams, so I don't have to face my embarrassment._

_A forbidden love, between a princess and her servant - a classic love story, isn't it? The princess and the servant always end up together, and they live happily ever after._

_But in real life, there's no such thing as happily ever after. Life isn't a fairytale, where everything can work out as you wish. I cannot love Rei._

_Rei cannot love me. Not that he even likes me, anyway._

Miku smiled. _At least through it all, I still have Len. I got over Rei years ago - there isn't any point in raking up the past again._

Though sometimes, she wondered, if Rei had known that she had liked him, would things be different between them now?

_No. Because it is forbidden for a princess to love her servant. No royal wants their bloodlines tainted._

:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:

''Your Majesty asked for me?'' Rei bowed before the king. The king sighed.

''Rei, we've known each other for such a long time...need you remain so formal? We're practically family.''

''Sire, I cannot claim to be close to you. You are the king, whereas I am nothing but your humble servant.''

''If you insist, Rei,'' the king hesitated. ''I have a favour to ask of you. Your parents...they said that when you turn of age, you were supposed to -''

''I don't want it,'' Rei interrupted. ''Pardon my rudeness, your Majesty, but I know what you're going to say. And I desire none of it.''

''So you choose to remain, Rei Kagene? You choose to stay even though you have other alternatives? You know you could leave if you wanted to, Rei. We won't force you to stay if you don't want to.''

''I am indebted to your Majesty and the rest of the royal family,'' Rei knelt before the king, ''and I would rather stay and serve than leave before my debt is repaid.''

''Are you staying to repay your debt, or is there another reason, Rei Kagene?''

Rei froze. ''I don't understand what you mean, your Majesty,'' he said carefully. ''There is no other reason - I am loyal to you, and only you.''

''I'm not doubting your loyalty towards me, Rei.'' The king regarded him, his eyes wise. ''I've seen the way you look at my daughter, especially when she's with the prince. I might not be as young as you lot, but I know the pains of unrequited love. Do you still want to stay?''

He hesitated. Slowly, he nodded. ''Your Majesty's observations are most accurate. But I stay for you, and not merely for your daughter.''

''You _do _know that if you took up what your parents left behind, you're more than eligible? You're finally of age, at eighteen, and yet...you don't want it?''

Rei's fingers clenched into fists. He glanced up at the king, who stared back at him like he was trying to figure him out. ''I don't know, your Majesty,'' he finally said, voice wavering. ''The princess loves the prince, Len Kagamine...it is best that she marries him. The Kagamine royal family is known for its wealth and influence.''

''Rei. I've always treated you as my own son, and it still surprises me that instead of demanding the same preferential treatment as my daughter, you insisted on acting as a servant, quietly repaying what you thought you owed this family. Why don't you seek to better yourself, to reach your true potential?''

Rei averted his gaze, staring down at the floor. ''I didn't want to leave this place, sire. It is my home.''

The king sighed. ''You really are an obstinate child.'' He waved his hand. ''You're dismissed, Rei Kagene.''

''Thank you, sire.'' Rei backed out of the throne room, then turned and walked down the passageway to his room. He was thinking.

What his parents had left him. He knew what it was - the king and queen had never kept it from him, the whole time he was growing up.

_I can leave this place and seek a better life. And I can even return after I make my mark, if I so wanted, to be a court advisor. If I take what my parents left me, I can be more than that, even._

But Rei Kagene didn't want to leave the palace. It was true - he felt indebted to the royal family. If they hadn't taken him in as a child, Rei had no doubt he would have been killed on the streets years ago, nothing more than a starving street urchin.

And the king was right about how Rei felt towards his daughter. _Miku's the main reason I don't want to leave. I know that even after I come back, I can still talk to her, but she would have been married by then._

_At least now, by remaining as a servant here, I can maintain the illusion that she's not engaged. At night, I can convince myself that I have a chance._

_Then realise the next morning what I hoped for was impossible. I don't understand why I'm such a fool, still hoping for something I don't deserve._

Rei wasn't looking where he walked, he was so deep in thought, so when he rounded a corner he didn't see the blonde who was walking towards him, carrying a box.

''Ouch!'' whoever he had walked into hissed, and Rei's head shot up, eyes widening.

''I apologise, your Highness, I wasn't looking where I was going,'' Rei stepped back and took a deep bow.

''It's okay,'' Len Kagamine smiled, running his fingers through his hair. ''Um...actually, I was looking for Miku. Do you know where she went?''

Rei blinked. ''No, your Highness. Do you have some message to pass to her? I could write it down for you and leave it in her room, if you wish.''

''No, not a message,'' he hesitated. ''I brought some chocolates for her. My sister, Rin, made them for Miku. I forgot to pass it to her yesterday.''

''Oh,'' was all Rei said in response. _I am not supposed to feel jealous of Len Kagamine. She is his fiancée, and they're meant to be together. They're both royals after all._

_While I'm just a humble servant._

''Well, I can help you pass them to her, if I happen to see her. I'm going near her room anyway.'' Rei offered.

Len hesitated, but then his cousin came racing around the bend, calling his name. ''Len! The king is looking for you! You'd better hurry!''

''Well...if it wouldn't trouble you too much, then I thank you,'' Len passed the box to Rei. Lenka Kagamine took a look at Rei, her blue eyes curious.

''Hello. You look like Len. What's your name?''

''I am Rei Kagene, your humble servant, princess,'' Rei bowed. Lenka's eyes widened.

''There's no need to be so formal!'' she chirped. ''Let's go, Len! We don't want to keep the king waiting. See you, Rei Kagene.'' With that, she and Len trotted away.

_I can see why Miku treats her as such a close friend._

Rei stared down at the box of chocolates he held. Well, it was best to go leave them in Miku's room now. Sighing heavily, he continued down the passageway towards his and Miku's room.

He opened the door to Miku's room. It was the afternoon, so it was unlikely the princess was still inside.

But to his surprise, Miku was inside her room, scribbling away at a diary of some sort. At his entrance, she hastily closed the diary, shoving it inside her bedside table's drawers.

''Oh...Rei,'' she blinked as she noticed it was him. Strange, did her cheeks just turn a faint shade of rose? ''What are you doing here?''

''The prince sends some chocolates, with the Princess Rin's regards.'' Rei offered the box.

Miku got off her bed, walking towards him. ''Thank you, Rei,'' she smiled sweetly, and Rei's chest fluttered. ''Rin makes delicious chocolates. Would you like to try one?''

Rei hesitated. ''If it doesn't trouble the princess,'' he finally mumbled. Her smile widened, and she glided gracefully back to her bed, patting the mattress next to her. ''Come, sit with me.''

Rei obeyed, sitting stiffly on the edge of her bed. She opened the box, revealing an assortment of chocolates, and grinning happily she picked one up and popped it into her mouth. Rei watched the way her lush lips parted, wanting to _taste _those lips so _badly _-

_No, I can't think like that. I have no right - I am nought but a humble servant. And it is forbidden for a servant to fall in love with his princess._

''Rei!'' Miku picked up another, beckoning him closer. ''Open your mouth.''

He did as she asked, though somewhat reluctantly, and she placed the chocolate inside his mouth, her slender fingers brushing against his lips. Rei shivered.

''Do you like it?'' she asked, beaming.

_Yes, I liked it. I liked the way your fingers felt against my lips, smooth and soft as silk. I want more._

_Though I am nought but your humble servant, with no right to desire anything from you._

''I like it. It tastes nice.'' Rei said absent-mindedly. Miku smiled and offered the box to him, and slowly Rei took another chocolate.

_If I told you now how I felt for you, despite the fact that my feelings for you are forbidden, is there a chance that you will like me back?_


	7. Chapter 7

_If it is forbidden for a princess to love her servant, is it forbidden for a servant to love his princess? It should be, but...sometimes, rules can't help but be broken. Even though I can't stand breaking rules when nothing good will come out of it._

''Rei!'' Rei sighed, hearing the princess call for him. He wondered if he ought to just ignore her - after all, there were other servants which would respond to her summons.

And Rei couldn't stand being in her presence when he knew what he was feeling was _forbidden, _when he knew nothing could ever result from his feelings for her.

_I'm tired of trying to hide my feelings, of pretending that I don't like her that way. But I continue, because it is forbidden for a servant to love his princess._

''Rei!'' He heard Miku call out for him again, and he couldn't ignore her anymore. Rising from his bed, he went out of his room to the hallway, where he could hear the teal-haired princess crying frantically for him.

_What does she want with me?_

''My princess,' he murmured, bowing before her. _My princess. Hah. If only. _''What do you wish me to do?''

''Rei, I wish you'd stop being so formal. We are...were friends, after all,'' the girl hesitated, staring up at him, and Rei averted his gaze.

''You are the princess, and I am your servant,'' he reiterated. ''And what would the princess have her servant do for her?''

She sighed, her green eyes reproachful. ''If you insist, Rei,'' those eyes searched his. ''Do you remember the locket you gave me, back when we were twelve?''

Rei remembered, of course. It was a heart shaped locket, with an emerald in the middle, on a platinum chain. A simple design, nothing more. It had taken Rei a year to save up enough money from his meagre earnings to buy it.

Why? Because the emerald reminded him of Miku's eyes. When he had seen the locket, the first thing he had thought of was the princess, and he started setting aside money so he could buy it in time for her birthday.

When he had given it to her, she had hugged him, kissing him on the cheek. And that alone had been worth all of it.

''Yes, I remember. Why?'' he asked now.

''I can't find it anywhere,'' her green eyes flickered with sadness. ''I left it out on my bedside table, as I always do, since I don't wear it at night.'' That surprised Rei - she actually wore it during the day? ''And when I woke up this morning it wasn't there anymore!''

''It's just a locket, princess. You don't need to trouble yourself over it. After all, you can always go buy another one. A nicer one.''

''But _you _were the one who bought me the locket, Rei! It _can't _be replaced. I know how much you had to go through just for it. You worked harder, slept less, scrimped and saved just so you could get it for my twelfth birthday. It's worth more than any other locket that can be found in the market.''

He never knew she had noticed what he had done for that locket, and that startled him. Since when had she ever paid him that much attention? ''Princess...if you really want that locket so much, I'll buy it for you again.''

''No, I want _that _locket back,'' Miku said stubbornly. ''I'm just telling you now because if I don't...I feel bad.'' She turned away and went back inside her room. Rei followed, hesitant.

Her room was messy, dresses and books strewn all over the place. She was standing by her bed, shaking her pillows - did she think it was hidden in the pillowcase, perhaps?

Rei began to pick up the books that littered the floor and put them back on her bookshelves, as Miku continued wrecking her room. He cleared up as she wrought her trail of destruction, and as she threw open the doors of another wardrobe, Rei picked up a strangely familiar book. He frowned.

Miku's diary...he glanced up at Miku. She was still searching through her wardrobe, and he flipped it open. His eyes widened.

It sparkled, in the middle of her diary. The locket she was searching so frantically for, winking up at him from the pages of her diary. He took it out, then hesitated.

He decided to wait a little longer, then began reading the diary entry he had opened to. It was written back when they were twelve - on her birthday. His eyes scanned the page.

_Today, Rei gave me a locket for my birthday._

_It was a really pretty locket. It's heart-shaped, and it has a emerald and a platinum chain. It was probably really expensive, and Rei must have saved a long time to get it for me._

_No wonder he seems thinner. More exhausted, more hungry. Was he saving all his money just to buy it?_

_I didn't really know how to thank him. It means a lot to me - not that he knows. He doesn't know that I like him. And it's better that he doesn't know, because it is forbidden for a princess to love her servant._

_I hate all these stupid rules. I wish that I wasn't classified as a 'princess', and Rei wasn't classified as a 'servant'. Then I could tell him how I feel about him. But we are classified, and I can't do anything about it._

_I like Len Kagamine too. I don't know who I really like, actually. Rei or Len. I haven't seen Len for four years, but I can't forget him._

_Rei, though...I can't like him because he's my 'servant'. A servant and a princess can never be together, because they're not of the same social status. I can never tell anyone how I feel about Rei Kagene._

_Because it is forbidden for a princess to love her servant the way I love Rei._

Rei swallowed and closed the diary. She really hadn't been lying about her liking him, that night. But she had liked Len at the same time. So did that mean that...she had never really liked Rei? That she had only _thought _she did?

Kneeling, he quietly put the diary into her bedside table's drawers, already feeling guilty about reading her diary entry. He tried to push the guilt away.

''I've found your locket, my princess,'' he rose, running his fingers through his black hair. Miku whirled around, her face alight with joy.

''Thank you!'' she rushed to him, taking the locket. She stared at it, relief obvious in her eyes, and fastened it around her neck. ''Where did you find it?''

Rei lied. It was one of the things he was good at - lying. Lying to everyone, even himself. ''Under that wardrobe, princess. It was far inside.''

''Strange, I thought I had searched there,'' she frowned, her hands clasping the locket as it sparkled around her neck. She gazed up at him, gratitude in her expression.

Then suddenly, unexpectedly, she threw her arms around him, burying her face against his chest. ''I thought I lost it forever,'' she mumbled, voice muffled against his shirt. ''And I didn't want to lose it because it felt like I would be losing my last connection to you.''

Rei didn't know how to react. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around her, holding her tight - a gesture to comfort, and nothing more. _It's not supposed to be anything more. It can't be anything more than simple comfort, no matter how much I desire for more._ ''Don't worry, princess. I'll always be here.''

''But you seem so far away,'' her arms tightened around his waist. ''Are we still friends, Rei?''

''We have the relationship of a princess and her servant,'' he murmured, ''and nothing can ever change that. But one thing I can promise you, princess, is that I won't ever leave you alone.''

''Can't a princess and her servant be friends?''

''No,'' Rei gently took hold of her shoulders, pushing her away from him. She gazed up at him, sadness in that emerald gaze. ''We can never be anything more, Miku.''

He turned and left her room, wondering whether he had said the right thing. It was better that he remained distant from her - he had already fallen hard enough for her. If they became close friends once again, like how they were in the past, Rei didn't know how his feelings for her would change.

Knowing that she had liked him before gave him a strange sense of..._regret. _But even if he had known, nothing would have changed.

_Because it is forbidden for a servant to love his princess, just like it is forbidden for a princess to love her servant._

Though he could feel her eyes on his back, the knowledge that he could _never _admit his feelings for her was the only thing that kept him from looking back.


	8. Chapter 8

''Your every wish is my command.''

Miku had always hated hearing those words, especially from Rei. How was she so different from him? Why was it that _he_ had to serve _her_ when they were both humans?

But now, there was another phrase Rei used which Miku hated even more.

''We can never be friends. You're a princess, and I'm nothing but an humble servant.''

Did being royalty rob her of her friends? If so, she didn't _want _to be a princess. She just wanted Rei to be her friend again, like back when they were little children.

Innocent of the world surrounding them, they had played together all day. There was no 'servant' or 'princess' then - they were just simply Rei and Miku.

''Why do you look so sad, Miku?'' Lenka asked, stumbling across her. Miku glanced up from the bench she was sitting on in the garden, shading her eyes as the sunlight illuminated the blonde girl. ''Did my cousin bully you?''

''Len? No, he didn't,'' Miku sighed, patting the seat next to her, and Lenka settled herself upon the bench. She cocked her head inquisitively, and Miku took a deep breath.

''Lenka, did you ever lose a friend before?''

The blonde princess frowned. ''Lose...a friend?'' she echoed. ''Sometimes. Yes. You know what the life of us royalty is like - we play with other royal children when we're young, then as we get older we never see them again...''

''But did you ever lose someone who you saw every single day?'' Miku choked out, feeling hot tears gather in her eyes. Lenka's blue eyes, so like Len's, widened.

''You mean, a servant?'' she asked hesitantly. ''No. I can't say I've ever lost that kind of friend. Why, Miku? Who did you lose?''

''Rei Kagene,'' she said softly, leaning her head against Lenka's shoulder. ''He and I used to be very close. We had been friends for _years, _since when we were both five. But as we grew older, he got more and more distant, and now...he just told me we can never be friends, Lenka.''

Lenka's slender fingers patted Miku's teal coloured hair. ''Why did he say such a thing?'' Lenka murmured. ''Did you do anything to hurt him before, Miku?''

''I don't think so,'' Miku sniffled, wiping her eyes. ''He said that because...he said a princess and her servant can never be anything but that. He said we could never be friends.''

Lenka frowned, still patting Miku's head reassuringly. ''I've spoken to him once. He does seem to be a stickler for the rules. But it's not your fault, Miku, and I doubt that Rei thinks that way either. Don't be so upset. He'll come around eventually - no one can resist you long!''

''He's been pulling away from me for so long I can barely remember what it's like, to talk normally to him. As a friend.'' Miku hesitated. ''The worst part is, we were once so close...how can he just throw that all away?''

''Rei's an idiot,'' Lenka said matter-of-factly. ''Just ignore Kagene and concentrate on other matters. Like, you and Len! Cheer up, Miku.''

Miku smiled a little. ''Thanks, Lenka,'' she mumbled. ''There isn't really any point in being upset over this, is there? Crying won't be of any use...Rei wouldn't care, anyway.''

''Don't think like that, Miku,'' Lenka soothed. ''From what I can tell, Rei's a nice person. It probably hurts him too, pulling away from you...though I really can't imagine why he'd do such a thing,'' she frowned prettily.

Lenka didn't know exactly how _right _she was.

Rei stood out of sight, behind the large thick trunks of an old oak tree. He was listening to the princess cry, and it tore at him.

He _did _care that she was upset. He cared greatly, but there wasn't any use in caring, was there? He was a servant. And servants couldn't love their mistresses, no matter how well their mistress treated them. Society would never allow it. Princesses could only love royalty, aristocracy, and he was _neither._

The king's words floated through his head. _If you took what your parents left you..._

But he didn't want it. He didn't want to accept his inheritance and leave the castle - for if he took what he had been left, he _would _have to leave the castle. His home.

He would have to leave Miku. And Rei didn't want that to ever happen. He didn't want to lose the illusion of hope, that one day she might realise how he felt about her.

Though, that dream felt more and more unrealistic as days passed by. He saw how Miku and Prince Len were together, and every time he saw them with each other jealousy would run through him, bitter and stinging.

_But what can I do? A humble servant has no right to be jealous of an high-born Prince._

Rei's eyes snapped back to the scene as the Prince he had been comparing himself to walked to the pair on the bench. ''Miku! Are you crying?'' he could hear Len say, concern etched onto his aristocratic features.

''No...I'm fine,'' Miku smiled up at the prince, and the prince's blue eyes softened. He opened his mouth, clearly about to speak, but he was interrupted by a whirl of purple.

''Your Ladyship, it is such a _pleasure _to meet you. You have no idea how _honoured _I am to speak to one as lovely as yourself -''

''Gakupo,'' Len sighed, looking exhausted. ''I thought I told you to wait in the carriage.''

The tall, purple-haired man pouted childishly. ''I was waiting, but you were taking an awfully long time,'' he complained. He was strangely attractive, with finely-formed features and a lean, toned physique. Was he related to the Kagamines?

''And you are...?'' Miku let the question hang in the air between them.

''Gakupo Shion, brother of Kaito Shion, who is the fiancé of the Princess Rin Kagamine!'' the purple-haired man declared. ''And I am here to kidnap - I mean, escort Prince Len home! Princess Rin demands the presence of her brother, or else she's going to kill my brother, which simply cannot -'' he caught sight of Lenka and instantly ceased talking.

Leaning down, he clasped a startled Lenka's hands in his. ''You must be the princess Lenka. And you're the most exquisite girl I've ever seen,'' he said slowly.

Lenka blinked. ''Oh. Um. Thank you?''

''Please marry me, Princess Lenka.''

''Um...'' Lenka looked pleadingly at her cousin, who looked like he was struggling to not burst out laughing. Even Rei had to grin at this.

Len coughed. ''So. I was going to explain, before Gakupo came in and ruined everything. Rin's ballistic - there's been some kind of miscommunication between her and Kaito, and now I'm needed back home to be a peacemaker.'' Len cast his eyes heavenwards.

''Kaito sent Gakupo to escort me in case I got attacked by bandits on the way home,'' he added. ''He doesn't want Rin to kill him. Of course, seeing that he sent _Gakupo _instead of Akaito, I have a higher chance of dying now.''

Gakupo didn't seem to notice Len's prediction, he was too focused on staring at Lenka. Who was beginning to look slightly uncomfortable.

''How long are you going to be away?'' Miku asked, and Rei's attention snapped back to her.

''You know Rin's mood swings. Anywhere between a week to a month,'' Len sighed. Leaning down, he kissed her cheek. ''But I'll hurry back here as soon as I can.''

Miku smiled at her fiancé. ''Be quick.''

''I will.'' With that, Len turned and walked away. When Gakupo didn't follow, Len glanced back, a strange mix of annoyance and amusement on his face. ''Gakupo! Leave Lenka alone!''

Gakupo sulkily obliged, turning away from Lenka, who let out a relieved sigh. ''I'll be back, my beloved,'' Gakupo declared, hurrying after Len. Lenka blinked.

''He's mad, isn't he?'' Miku giggled at the panic on Lenka's face.

''You have a suitor!'' Lenka smacked Miku's shoulder lightly, and the two girls rose from the bench, laughing as they walked away.

Rei exhaled. He hadn't liked seeing Len kiss Miku like that. He would be a liar to say that it didn't affect him at all. However...

He did his best to ignore the sudden happiness he felt at the prince's leaving.


	9. Chapter 9

Len had been gone for two weeks. Miku missed him, _a lot, _but at least she had Lenka around to comfort her. Lenka's presence made her feel so much better - she and Len resembled so much that whenever Miku talked to Lenka she could almost convince herself that Len was here.

It was just that...she hadn't seen Len Kagamine for _years, _when she suddenly received the news that he would be her fiancé. Suddenly, she saw him, after an entire _decade. _And scarcely a week later he had left again.

Miku sighed. _I wonder what's going on between Rin and Kaito. What matter is so serious that Len has to go back home and act as an mediator?_

''I'm sure that Rin will calm down soon, and Len will come back,'' Lenka patted her shoulder. Lenka had become really good at reading Miku's facial expressions. ''You really miss him, don't you?'' she added in a softer voice.

''I only saw him for a week before he left again,'' came the disgruntled reply. ''How can I do anything other than miss him?''

Rei, who was standing in a corner of the room, looking faintly bored, jerked up, his honey coloured eyes snapping over to them. Miku didn't notice that, though Lenka did, her blue eyes narrowing with thought. Her gaze met Rei's gold-coloured eyes, and she was sure that she saw those eyes flicker with hurt before they resumed their emotionless mask.

_Strange. Why hurt? Does Rei like Miku?_

The king had requested that Rei spend time with Miku and Lenka, so as to make sure they didn't feel bored while Len wasn't around. Rei had agreed, albeit a little reluctantly, and that was the reason why he was stuck in Lenka's room listening to them discuss fashion.

Rei Kagene was one who always agreed to whatever was asked of him. He complied straight away, with no refusal or protests. In fact, the only time Lenka ever saw him hesitate about obeying an order was when that order involved him spending time with Miku.

Which totally, completely, contradicted her theory. Yet Lenka just had this suspicion...

''I need to go, Lenka,'' Miku smiled apologetically, glancing at the clock. ''Father said that he has some state matters to discuss,'' the last few words were uttered with distaste, then she rose from the bed and left the room, walking past Rei.

Lenka saw that Rei visibly stiffened as the princess swept past him, out of the room. Lenka frowned. How strange.

''If there is nothing else, princess, then I take my leave,'' Rei bowed, his black hair falling over one of his honey coloured eyes.

''Wait, Rei. I need to ask you something.''

He glanced up at her, looking a little surprised, but nevertheless he stayed. ''Whatever the princess asks of me, I will do my best to fulfil.''

''Tell me something, Rei,'' Lenka's voice dropped to a low whisper. ''Do you like Miku?''

He flinched, drawing away. ''No. What makes the princess think that?'' his voice was smooth, servile but still confident - the voice of someone who wasn't lying.

But Lenka was sure that he wouldn't have flinched away if he hadn't had _some _kind of feelings towards Miku.

Though Miku was Len's fiancée, Lenka was still curious about Rei and Miku's relationship - they seemed like they would make a good couple. Miku was sweet and kind, while Rei...from what Lenka had seen of Rei over the past two weeks, Rei seemed to be rather protective. Of Miku.

Their relationship was intriguing. Lenka wondered, exactly what kind of friendship had the pair had, and why did Rei suddenly dissolve that friendship, if it had been as close as Miku claimed?

_Because of the pain of unrequited love?_

''Are you lying, Rei?'' Lenka asked, her eyes narrowing at him. Rei blinked, looking rather shaken. He shook his head, but averted his gaze, staring at the floor.

''You _are _lying. You really like her!''

''I don't!'' Rei looked panicked. ''She's my princess, and I am her servant. That's all we can ever be - I mean, that's all we are. I don't have any feelings towards her, other than that of a servant. How a servant wants to please his master, make sure she's safe.''

That didn't sound like the typical servant to Lenka. The servants at home didn't _want _to please her, or keep her safe. They only did that because it was their job.

And what about that obvious slip he had made? Did he think she would miss that? Lenka pouted, folding her arms and staring at Rei.

''Just admit it, you like her. It's written all over your face - _you like Miku Hatsune. _Not that I disapprove or anything. But she's my cousin's betrothed. You know that, don't you?''

Rei sighed, a resigned look entering his eyes. ''Yes, I know that.'' He didn't mention anything else, but Lenka pressed on.

''Is that why you pulled away from Miku? Because she's engaged to someone else?''

Rei shot her a dead look. ''Princess Lenka, I haven't been considered friends with Miku for two years. I've been withdrawing from her for years, but two years ago was when I _finally _cut ties with her. That's before she found out she was engaged to Len Kagamine.''

When Rei spoke Len's name, his voice was bitter, laced with envy. Lenka blinked at that, and at the admission that he had turned away from Miku - she thought she would have to probe deep to get him to admit that they had ever been friends.

''Then why did you pull away from her? Did she do something wrong?''

''No,'' Rei's honey eyes narrowed in suspicion. ''Did Miku set you up to this, Princess?''

''No. I promise I won't tell her. What you tell me is strictly confidential.'' Lenka hesitated, just _dying _to know about their complicated relationship. ''If you want to tell me.''

Rei sighed again, more heavily than the first time. ''Fine. You're stubborn, Princess. As stubborn as Miku is.'' Reluctant admiration in his voice. ''Yes. I liked her. I still do.''

''Then why not do something? Anything? Tell her! She thinks you hate her for no reason, you know. Doesn't that malign you?''

He glanced away. ''There's no point in telling her anything when nothing will result from it,'' his voice was as dead as his eyes. ''We will never be able to be anything other than master and servant. It is forbidden for a servant to love his princess.''

''There will be a way to work around that, if you try,'' Lenka stubbornly insisted. She felt a little guilty for telling Rei this when _Len's fiancée _was involved, but still.

Rei smiled, a little crooked smile that didn't hide any of his pain. ''Thank you, princess. I used to believe that, when I was young - but I'm not that idealist, anymore.''

Lenka was about to retort when the door swung open, and Miku's head popped in. ''Lenka! Father is looking for you.'' Her green eyes met Rei's gold ones. ''Rei.''

''Princess,'' he inclined his head, face once against an expressionless mask. Lenka stared at the pair, then shook her head and rose, walking over to Miku.

She now knew that she wasn't imagining it when she saw the hurt, hidden deep in Rei's honey coloured eyes. Rei really did love Miku - but he believed that it would never work out.

Lenka was determined to make their love happen. A devious plan began to shape itself in her mind, and slowly she smiled.

''Why are you smiling, Lenka?'' Miku blinked at her as they walked down the passageway together. Lenka's smile widened.

''Nothing, Miku. Nothing at all.''


	10. Chapter 10

''Are you okay, Rei?'' Miku bit nervously upon her lower lip, staring at the black-haired boy next to her on the garden bench. Lenka sat opposite them, looking rather bored.

Rei winced. ''I'm fine,'' he mumbled, still rubbing at the bandage wrapped around his head. Miku blinked at him, seemingly unconvinced, but he stared back at her until she finally sighed and turned away.

Earlier that afternoon, some time after Lenka had interrogated him about his feelings for Miku, Rei had went out to trim the hedges and somehow tripped over a fallen log in the garden, causing a deep gash in his forehead. Which was strange, because he was rather sure that log hadn't been there this morning.

Miku had seen his forehead bleeding and insisted on tending to his wounds. As she sat with him, wrapping bandages around his head, Lenka had announced that she was going out for a little light shopping.

Both of them hadn't asked to accompany her, since they were both busy, and Lenka hadn't asked for company either. She had come back with a small, wrapped package, and Rei couldn't help but wonder what was inside.

Lenka now regarded both him and Miku with her cerulean blue eyes, filled with mischief. ''It's dinner time. Let's go, I'm hungry, my stomach's growling at me.'' she complained. Rei and Miku got off the bench they were sitting on and trailed after the impatient girl, who was practically sprinting ahead of them.

Lenka held back a giggle. The packet she had gotten from the herbalist was still in the front pocket of her dress, and she hurried to the dining hall so she could reach it before the princess and her servant could. She couldn't let Miku and Rei see what she was going to do now, could she?

Reaching the dining hall, she sat herself down at the long table. The king and queen greeted her, asking where Miku and Rei were. Lenka shrugged, then reached for one of the bottles of wine in the middle of the table. She snapped the bottle open and poured some of the wine out into the wineglass before her.

The king and queen just stared at Lenka, who was known for her dislike of alcohol, but chose not to comment on her odd behaviour. They turned away to talk to each other about some state affairs, and while they were distracted, Lenka surreptitiously poured the contents of the herbalist's packet into the glass.

The powder it contained, the powder the wine was now spiked with, was a mixture of potent dried herbs which, when mixed in _just _the right amounts, loosened one's inhibitions and made them more likely to reveal secrets they had hidden, deep inside themselves.

Secrets such as the one Rei was currently keeping from Miku. That powder, mixed with a whole lot of wine, would no doubt loosen Rei Kagene's tongue.

Lenka smiled. Now, she just had to persuade Rei to drink the wine inside the glass. This was going to be fun.

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''Eat with us today, Rei,'' the king said as Rei and Miku finally entered the dining hall. ''Princess Lenka requested that you do.''

Rei bowed as Miku went over to Lenka, sitting next to the blonde princess. ''It would be my honour, Your Majesty,'' he said quietly, though his honey eyes were filled with uncertainty.

''Good boy. Sit here, next to me,'' the queen inclined her head towards Rei. Rei nodded and went to the seat next to her, so that he was directly opposite Miku. His cheeks warmed as he caught her staring intently at him, and quickly he glanced away, meeting Lenka's gaze.

Her cerulean eyes were filled with wicked knowingness. ''How's your injury, Rei?'' she chirped inquisitively.

''It's fine. It stopped bleeding some time ago. I thank Princess Miku for that,'' he bowed his head in Miku's direction.

''No need for that,'' came her soft reply. Rei tried not to let it show on his face how much her voice affected him.

Lenka brightened. ''Since you're doing well, then why not drink some wine!'' She held out a glass of deep red liquid towards him, and Rei blinked. Him? Drink wine?

He had never drank wine before...and he wasn't sure whether or not he wanted to try. But he couldn't deny the princess, who was staring at him with an expectant smile on her face.

''Thank you?'' it came out more as a question than a statement as he took the glass. Hesitantly, he downed its contents, then gagged. _Wine tastes absolutely foul._

The king chuckled. ''It's always bad, the first time. Wine is a taste one must get used to.''

''So drink more,'' Lenka winked, holding out the wine bottle. Rei glanced at the king and queen, who just smiled, and somewhat reluctantly he took hold of the bottle.

''If you tell me to drink, drink I shall.'' As he spoke, his eyes flickered over to meet Miku's. Her forest-coloured eyes were unreadable, but he thought he could see a little...surprise in her expression. _Surprise? At what?_

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''I thought he would be able to hold his drink better than that,'' Lenka said reproachfully. ''Even Rin and I could drink more than that!''

''That's you and Rin, Lenka,'' the queen sighed, looking at the drunken Rei Kagene, who was laughing and staggering throughout the dining hall. ''If you hadn't asked him to drink so much...this is his third bottle.''

Miku had to keep herself from smiling at her old friend's antics. _Rei's actions are so cute when he's drunk. Though he's going to feel terrible when he wakes up tomorrow._

''Maybe he should go back to his room to sleep the drunkenness off,'' Miku suggested. The king sighed, and Lenka shrugged, mischief still glimmering in her eyes.

''Very well. Miku, if we could trouble you...?'' her mother murmured.

''No, not at all,'' Miku assured her parents. Rising from the chair, she walked over to Rei, clasping his wrist, pleased that for once, he didn't recoil from her touch. With her other hand, she pried the bottle of wine loose from his fingers.

He pouted and tried to take it back. Miku giggled and held it out of reach. ''Kagene, you've had more than enough to drink,'' she reprimanded. He shook his head.

His fingers strained for the bottle. Lenka rose from her seat and walked over to them. Lazily, she took the bottle and set it down on the table. ''Go, Miku, before he starts to struggle.''

And then Lenka sat at the table again, beginning to tell her parents one of her numerous entertaining stories. Miku felt Rei starting to strain against her hold, so she strode out of the dining hall, pulling him along with her.

He struggled against her grip all the way to his room, where she pushed him down onto his bed and smacked him on the chest. His struggles ceased, and he stared up at her as though he had just realised who she was.

''Miku...?'' he asked softly, his voice still a drunken slur. She nodded. Turning around, she grabbed a towel, then entered his bathroom to wet it in the sink.

She walked back into his bedroom. He was still lying on the bed, apparently not having made any move, and his honey eyes now met hers. She approached him, then slowly she began to dab at his forehead with the damp towel.

''Will you stay with me tonight?'' she froze as she heard him speak. ''I...I want to talk to you.'' His golden eyes darted away from hers.

Miku hesitated. Should she? She considered. Rei stared at her, his eyes seeming to plead with her to say yes. That made up her mind.

''Okay. I'll stay.''


	11. Chapter 11

Miku sat next to him as he stared up at her, his honey eyes heavy-lidded. She wondered whether she really ought to stay - he looked as though he really needed some sleep.

His long, thick black eyelashes lowered, casting faint shadows over his cheeks. ''Talk to me,'' he whispered, his voice darkly sensuous. Miku somehow felt _captivated _by that voice, in a way she had never been entranced before. After all...Rei never talked to her this way.

''What do you want to talk about?'' she asked, voice wavering. He glanced up at her from beneath those long lashes, and suddenly Miku felt that there was something..._different _between them now. Was Rei trying to..._seduce _her, by any chance?

When had he changed from the little boy she had once played with to the handsome..._man _he was now?

''Let's talk about you,'' he grinned lazily, his jet-black hair fanning out over his pillows. ''I mean, we haven't talked in some time...have we?''

''No, we haven't,'' she agreed cautiously. ''What do you want to know about me?''

He pushed himself up into sitting position, and she froze as she found that his lips were suddenly mere inches away from hers. His cool breath washed over her face, and in it she could smell the faintest traces of sweet vanilla. She found herself inhaling deeply.

''Is there anything about you that you think I do not know?'' he whispered, those golden eyes staring deep into her green ones. She swallowed, her heart in her throat, then backed away slightly from him, confused.

''No. I don't think so,'' the admission left her lips, and she realised that it was true - Rei probably knew her better than anyone else ever did. Even her own parents.

''I'm glad you know that,'' he murmured, his eyelids still lowered sleepily. She wondered exactly how drunk he was - all of a sudden, he seemed completely sober.

''Then there's nothing to discuss about,'' she mumbled. Rising from the bed, she made to leave, but before she could walk away from him his hand shot out, fingers wrapping around her wrist. She blinked, startled.

''Sit,'' Rei purred, and the way he said it...was totally out of character. Miku blinked once more, then hesitantly she sat next to him, and his full lips tilted up into a smile.

''Tell me about yourself, then,'' she pulled her wrist out of his grasp. Rei clearly didn't react well to wine, if drunkenness could change his attitude so much. Rei's smile disappeared.

''Me? There's nothing much to talk about. I'm a servant of this household. Nothing more, nothing less,'' he shrugged. ''But you already would know that, wouldn't you?''

Miku suddenly had a burning desire to ask him about his personal life. Specifically, ''Did you ever like anyone before? In the palace? I mean...I know a lot of the other servants are interested in you,'' Miku bit on her lower lip.

His honey eyes lit up with amusement, and he smiled faintly. ''What if I said that I had?''

''Who is it?'' she asked inquisitively. _I don't like him anymore, so...I shouldn't be hurt if he tells me who he liked. Or still likes. Right?_

''Why do you want to know?'' he asked back, almost defensively. ''You're my princess, Miku. Princesses shouldn't have to bother themselves with the love lives of their lowly servants.''

''You're not lowly to me, Rei,'' her eyes narrowed at him, her hands clasping his. ''And you've always known that. You're my _friend, _and I've never treated you as otherwise.''

''I'd rather be your servant than a mere _friend,_'' he averted his gaze, and she gasped, startled. What did he mean? _Does he find me unworthy of being his friend? Simply because our social statuses are totally different?_

''Why is it that you can't stand me?''

''It's not that I can't stand you!'' his golden eyes snapped back to her, and there seemed to be a struggle going on within their golden depths. ''It's...I can't tell you,'' he ended softly.

''Why not?'' she asked softly. He sighed, once again pulling away from her. His fingers ran through his black hair, the pale skin a stark contrast against the inky darkness, and his sooty black eyelashes lowered sensuously, brushing against his cheeks.

''I don't know. I just...something tells me I shouldn't tell you, though I really want you to know...'' his mesmerising eyes flicked up to her. ''Can I say it in a story, then?''

''Why not?'' Miku was becoming more and more intrigued. If he avoided her not because he couldn't stand her, then why else would he withdraw from her that way?

''Come closer,'' Rei beckoned, and slowly she edged nearer to him. A ghost of a smile flitted across his lips, then he yawned, his eyelids fluttering closed. Then they snapped open.

''There was once a little boy, who knew a little girl. How old were they? No older than five,'' he began. He saw the look on her face and held a finger to his lips. ''Shh. No questions yet.''

Miku held her tongue. Rei continued. ''The girl and the boy lived in a big palace together. She was a princess, while he was a servant. But being children, that didn't matter at all to them. They played together all day long.''

Miku wondered, a little unsure, if the boy and girl he was talking about was her and himself. Their stories certainly matched.

''Over time, as they became closer and closer, becoming best friends, the boy realised that he had certain...feelings for her. Feelings that people didn't have for a _best friend._'' Shyly, he glanced up at her from beneath his long eyelashes. ''By then, he was already twelve, and he knew what was infatuation. Love. And he knew about their differences in social rank.''

''So what did he do about that?'' she asked.

''He tried to gradually pull away. He hoped that by doing so, he would eventually forget about his impossible feelings for her. But they just grew stronger and stronger...'' he sighed. ''Finally, when he was sixteen, he totally pushed his friend away. It was an act of desperation, you see?''

''Did he succeed in forgetting about her?'' Miku's heart clenched. If Rei really was talking about her and himself, then didn't it mean...Rei had liked her when they were younger, too?

''No,'' he said softly. ''Even now, at the age of eighteen, he still can't forget her. He still wants her in a way a servant shouldn't. It's forbidden for a princess to love a servant, isn't it? Just like a servant cannot love a princess.''

Miku felt tears sting her eyes. ''Who ever said that it was forbidden?'' her hands found his, and she clasped them tightly. ''Who are the two people in your story, Rei?'' she asked, this time her voice a barely audible whisper.

He hesitated, glancing downwards, unable to meet her gaze. ''Me,'' he whispered softly. ''And you. I loved you, Miku - I still do.''

She didn't know what to say. She loved Len, didn't she? She had gotten over Rei, believed that he would never return her affections, yet he was now telling her that while she had liked him, he had liked her...and he still did.

She opened her mouth, still wondering what to say, but before anything could escape her she felt his soft lips pressing against her own.


	12. Chapter 12

Miku didn't know how to react to his kiss. His lips were soft and warm against hers...it was different, so different from when Len kissed her, yet she strangely enjoyed Rei's kiss.

It was a sweet kiss, one that didn't demand or take. Slowly, he pulled away from her, his eyelids heavy-looking. ''Miku,'' he breathed, her name a reverent prayer on his lips. She wondered what she should say to him.

Then his eyelids fluttered closed, and he collapsed back down on his bed. Miku blinked, startled, and she shook his arm, trying to rouse him. It didn't work. ''Rei!''

It was of no use - he had passed out. Miku bit on her lower lip, then lifted her fingers to her mouth. She could still feel the imprint of his warm lips upon hers.

''Was all that...was what you just said all real?'' she whispered, hesitant. ''What were you thinking when you said all that, Rei-rei?'' her voice wavered as she used her old childhood nickname for him.

Rei-rei...it had been a long time since that name had left her lips, and it felt a little odd now, on her tongue. Rei had used to called her Mimi, too...she missed all that. Back when they were children, when they had nothing to worry about. They just had fun the whole day.

_Father and Mother won't expect me to return to the dining hall...Rei's drunk, after all - I'll have to take care of him._

She rose from the bed, going over to Rei's bedroom door. Locking it, she sighed and turned to face the sleeping black-haired boy. He had always been extremely handsome, but when he was asleep he seemed so...boyish. Almost innocent, if an eighteen year old boy could be called such.

His long black fringe fell over his closed eyelids as his sooty eyelashes brushed against his pale cheeks. She hesitated, then crossed back over to him, sitting next to him on his bed. Slowly, her hand reached out, brushing his fringe away from his eyes.

''Miku...'' she froze as he whispered her name, and she wondered what he was dreaming about. Had he awakened? But no, he showed no signs of rousing from his sleep, and once more she relaxed.

Was he dreaming about her? She cocked her head, her long green hair brushing against Rei's arms. ''Can you hear me in your dreams, Rei?'' she murmured softly. ''Did you know that I...I liked you when we were young? Did you ever find out? Maybe, if we had said something to each other, things wouldn't be this way now...'' she exhaled, closing her eyes.

''Stay with me,'' she thought she heard him mumble, and startled she stared at his face. No, he was definitely still asleep. Those words...they reminded her of what she herself always said to Rei, whenever she dreamt of him.

In her dreams, Rei always ran away from her, no matter how much she pleaded with him to stay with her, but hadn't there been one night where he had actually listened? When he had actually stayed behind?

So maybe, for once, she should do the same for him. ''If you want me to stay, then tonight I will,'' she whispered, almost dazedly.

Tonight had been unexpected, and she couldn't help but think that it was all a dream - because it couldn't be possible that Rei had ever noticed her the way she noticed him, right? Yes, maybe all this was a dream - maybe her mind had created this scenario as an explanation for Rei's aloofness towards her.

_I sound like a desperate, love-struck girl. Which, in a strange way, I am._

But if this really was a dream, then she never wanted this dream to end. She lay down next to Rei on his bed, her back towards him, then closed her eyes. _Maybe, when I fall asleep in this dream, I'll wake up to face reality._

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Rei groaned as his eyelids cracked open. He had a terrible headache, and opening his eyes was killing his head. _This hurts almost as bad as seeing Miku together with Len, _his mind thought savagely.

His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness of the room. It was familiar - oh. It was _his _room. How strange. The last thing he remembered was drinking...a lot of wine...in the dining hall...then...what had happened after that? He frowned woozily, trying to recall.

Something soft and silky brushed against his arm as whatever it was shifted, and his eyes snapped to the figure next to him on the bed. Rei's mind immediately jumped to conclusions - _Oh God, what have I done?_

Then he noticed the _hair..._namely, the teal-coloured hair he had dreamt of running his fingers through, more times than he could count. He smiled. Miku was on the bed next to him? That was good, then - if it was Miku then at least Rei could be sure they hadn't done anything. Miku would _never _allow -

Wait. Miku? What was Miku doing in his room? No, why was she sharing his _bed? _What had happened after he had gotten drunk? He panicked, sitting up in his bed. Why couldn't he seem to remember anything?

The moonlight coming in from the window, its curtains not drawn, illuminated the sleeping girl next to him, and as he stared at her, bewildered, he felt himself calming down. She was just so _beautiful..._in the moonlight she looked like an ethereal fairy, petite and delicate...fragile, even. Vulnerable.

_I have to be dreaming. Yes. I'm actually still asleep, and I've dreamt up this wonderfully realistic dream where Miku is sleeping peacefully next to me..._

If this was a dream, then he should be allowed to do what he wanted, right? His arms looped around her slender waist as he lay back down next to her, pulling her closer against his lean body. Slowly, he nuzzled into the curve of her graceful neck, wanting more, but unwilling to do anything more even if it was just a dream.

''Rei,'' he heard her whisper, and startled his eyes widened. Strange, when had his headache suddenly disappeared? His head still throbbed a little, but not as badly as when he had first woken up in his...dream. Was it because Miku was here, next to him?

''Miku?'' he voiced her name as a question, hesitant. She turned to face him, her large green eyes sleepy-looking.

''Am I dreaming?'' she asked, her hands reaching up to caress the sides of his face, her slender fingers brushing down his jawline. He shivered, his arms tightening around her.

''I don't know,'' he answered. ''I think we are. But I never want this dream to end.''

The reply she gave him made his heart race, a sudden flutter of doomed hope in his chest. Doomed because he knew nothing would ever come out of this hope.

''Me neither,'' her whisper was so soft, it was barely audible, but Rei heard it, and he glanced up at her from beneath his eyelashes, wondering how far he should take things. How much he was willing to torture himself with what he wanted, desired, but in reality could never hope to possess.

This was nothing more than a dream, and nothing could come out of dreams except longing and hurt - because wasn't it still forbidden for a princess to love her servant?

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_**Solitaryloner: **The next chapter will probably have lemony scenes, but whether or not there's actual...whatever, I'm still deciding. I mean...don't you think it's a little too soon, at this stage of their relationship, huh?_

_And here's a question I've been wondering about for quite some time: Why doesn't anyone write about Teiru Sukone? He's one of my favourite genderbends, but there aren't any stories about him...as in, really zero. Nothing at all. It's just sad._


	13. Chapter 13

''Rei?'' he heard her ask, and startled his eyes snapped up to her. ''Do you mind if I...if I sleep in your bed tonight?'' she stumbled over the words, hesitant. ''I mean, I won't mind if you don't want me to stay -''

''Stay,'' he murmured, his arms tightening around her. She made a little purr of contentment, and he tugged her close. Since this was probably a dream...then it didn't matter if he did things he normally wouldn't, right?

His fingers found her chin, and he tilted her face up. There was a little gasp of surprise from her, just before his lips covered hers possessively. His tongue slid into her mouth, seeking hers out, and hesitantly she let him explore her mouth, her arms inching around him.

When had he become such a good kisser? Their tongues danced together, tasting and wanting more, and in one swift motion Rei flipped both of them over so that she was trapped between his arms, pressed beneath his body.

Their kiss didn't break, and Miku shivered in pleasure as his fingers began to caress her shoulders, sliding through the wide neck of her dress to brush against her soft skin. Her own hands began to wander, going beneath his shirt to run against his back.

She felt him shiver at her touch, and softly he moaned against her lips, his kiss deepening, becoming more possessive. Demanding. He straddled her slender waist, not letting her escape from him.

Not that she wanted to leave. She wanted Rei - at that moment, nothing mattered to Miku except for Rei and how much she liked him. She had liked him for so long, had tried to convince herself she didn't like him because she believed he would never return her feelings.

And now, he was kissing her as though he would die without her. Like she was his air to breathe. She liked being pressed beneath his lean body - instead of making her feel trapped, she felt...strangely protected.

And most of all, she enjoyed it. She couldn't deny that she loved the way Rei was kissing her. _I never imagined that Rei and I would ever become so intimate. I had always thought that he hated me...I like this dream._

But Miku needed to breathe, after a while, and she jerked her head away, a trail of saliva between their lips. It broke, falling on her chin, and slowly Rei leant down, his tongue flicking out to lick their mixed saliva off. She trembled, moaning, and he smiled.

He moved from her chin to her long, slender neck, trailing little butterfly kisses from her jawline all the way to her collarbone, above her breasts. His hand cupped her cheek, the other caressing her slender waist.

''You're so beautiful, Princess,'' he breathed. ''I never had the chance to tell you that...so I'm saying so to you now. I've wanted you for longer than you can imagine,'' his honey eyes met hers, ''though I won't...force myself on you. Or anything like that...'' his voice trailed off.

Her hands reached up, cupping his face. ''I'm not ready for this kind of thing, Rei,'' she said softly. ''I like you a lot, too, but I can't imagine myself doing _that _with anyone right now. Not even you, Rei-rei.''

Neither of them mentioned her fiancé, because they were supposed to be dreaming, weren't they? And real life issues usually didn't matter in dreams...right?

''I understand, my princess,'' Rei said softly. ''It wasn't in my intentions to make you feel as though you had to do anything you didn't want to,'' he added, almost worriedly.

She smiled. ''I know that, Rei,'' she nuzzled into the crook of his neck. ''You told me that you love me...from when we were children until now,'' her large eyes stared up at him. ''I love you too, Rei. I think we've always loved each other, ever since we were both little children.''

Rei blinked. He had told her he liked her? Ever since they were children? It was true, but...he didn't remember telling her. Well, it was a dream, so how she came to know wasn't really that important, was it?

''Then don't leave me tonight, like you always do,'' he said softly, cupping her cheek. Her skin was soft and delicate against his, just like a dewy rose petal. Like the skin of a baby. ''Every time I dream of you, princess, you run away from me and I wake up, alone...''

''How many times did that happen before?'' Miku asked him, her voice soft and melodious. He closed his eyes as her voice wrapped around him, its sensuous silken melody caressing him gently, lightly.

''Always,'' he whispered. ''Every night, I dream of you, and every night, you run away from me, leaving me alone in the dark.''

''But you do that to me too, Rei-rei,'' she murmured, her gaze averted from his. He kissed her cheek, his lips brushing briefly against her delicate pale skin.

''Wasn't there once where I stayed?'' he asked gently. ''I stayed in your dreams once before, didn't I?'' he probed. She stared up at him.

''Yes, there was once...'' she admitted quietly, almost reluctantly. Rei smiled in triumph.

''Since I stayed that one time, then promise me you'll stay with me too,'' his voice turned pleading. ''Please, Mimi?''

She froze at his usage of his old nickname for her. She had thought that he had forgotten about that nickname. Speechless, she nodded, her arms looping around his neck as she pressed her lips against his once more.

He kissed her back passionately, as though he was terrified of losing her. Like it would be the last time he could ever touch her again. ''Stay,'' he whispered, voice breaking.

''I'll stay.'' Miku reached up, brushing his black hair away from his haunted golden eyes. He pressed her hand against his cheek, holding it to his skin.

''You promise? You won't leave in the middle of the night, like you always do, right?'' At that moment, he sounded like a lost little boy.

''I won't,'' she promised him. ''Have I ever broken my promises to you, Rei-rei?'' she asked. Slowly, he shook his head, letting her hand drop from his cheek.

He placed his hands on either side of her head, eyes suddenly filled with an overwhelming hunger, a desire which made her breathless in unexpected want, _yearning, _for him.

''If you're not going to leave, then touch me again.''


	14. Chapter 14

Miku opened her eyes drowsily. She smiled - for some reason, she felt so...at ease. And so safe. As though nothing would ever happen to her. She could feel something warm against her back, and she reached out her hand, assuming it was her pillow.

Her searching fingers found soft cotton, and she ran her fingers down the fabric. She frowned. Strange, it was too long to be a pillow...her fingers brushed against something smooth and warm, and she froze. Skin?

She turned, and then her breath caught. Rei was sleeping next to her, his black hair falling over his peacefully closed eyes, stark against his pale skin. That silky hair was dishevelled, yet he still radiated an aura of sensuality that made her want to...do something to him.

She didn't know what, but there was this sudden _yearning, _to touch him, run her fingers through those thick black locks. She nibbled on her lower lip, quelling the urge.

Her cheeks warmed as she realised something - last night had been real? She pinched her arm, then gasped at the sudden sting. Yes, she was awake, and Rei really was lying next to her - so everything which had happened last night...

It had really all happened. She didn't know whether she ought to rejoice, or to panic - a princess was not allowed to fall in love with a servant, nor vice-versa. That kind of love was a forbidden one, and nothing she or Rei did could change that.

_A forbidden love which ends in nothing but pain...is that what we really want?_

Yes. She wanted it. She thought she did, but then blonde hair and blue eyes flashed through her mind, and she hesitated. Len...she felt her chest tighten in guilt. Len was her betrothed, and she shouldn't be doing these kind of things, especially not with another person.

_Who am I supposed to choose? One's my childhood friend, someone who loved me for years. The other is the one I've been yearning for, for so many years - someone who loved me for just as long. And I want both of them._

_I'm really just a selfish, spoilt little girl. _She sighed, then glanced once more at Rei. She didn't want to wake him from his sleep, but she had promised that she would stay with him. And she wasn't one to break her promises.

''Rei,'' she said softly, gently shaking his arm. There was a muffled sound of protest in response, and he turned his back towards her, away from the shaking. Miku took a moment to smile at the unconscious act.

''Rei!'' she repeated, this time with a little more volume. Lightly, she patted his cheek, and his full lips set into a scowl. Irritably, he shook his head, his black hair falling into his eyes.

''Go away,'' he mumbled, voice a sleepy slur. ''I'm sleeping, Miku -'' his eyes flew open, the golden honey colour wide with shock. Instantly, he sat up, staring at her like she was some kind of exotic animal. ''Miku?'' he whispered.

''You've woken up,'' she poked at his shoulder. ''I didn't know you were such a pig, Rei.''

''Am I still dreaming?'' he asked bluntly, ignoring her comment. She shook her head, remembering that he, too, had assumed that everything which had happened between them last night was just a dream. His eyes widened with horror as he exhaled.

''It wasn't a dream...'' he mumbled dazedly. ''What have I done?'' those golden eyes filled with guilt as he averted his gaze from her face, twisting his blankets. Miku let her hands cover his, and she felt him flinch.

''I don't mind,'' she whispered. He swallowed, still not daring to meet her gaze, and she knew what he was thinking - that this wasn't allowed, that he, as a mere servant, shouldn't have touched his princess the way he had last night. She knew Rei enough to guess at that.

True enough, those were the next few words which spilled out of his mouth. ''But it's forbidden for a servant to fall in love with a princess...I shouldn't have touched you like that last night, Miku. I'm sorry! I don't know what came over me...'' he frowned woozily.

''I don't mind that, nor do I care if this is forbidden. Or not,'' Miku murmured, gently brushing his hair away from his eyes. ''Look at me, Rei,'' she added, this time with a tinge of authoritativeness to her tone.

Unwillingly, his eyes flicked up, meeting hers. She let her hands move from his fringe to his cheek, cupping his face in her palm. ''I enjoyed what we did, last night,'' she whispered, voice intense. ''And I...I like that you were willing to stop. That you knew _when _to stop,'' she could feel her cheeks warming.

''If I had gone any further, then woken up today to realise it wasn't a dream...'' Rei groaned, eyelids fluttering closed. ''I'm just lucky that you made me stop. Or your father would have had my head,'' he mumbled.

''Did you mean what you said, last night?'' she asked, her fingers brushing against the pale skin of his cheek. He nodded slowly, eyes once again downcast. Miku wondered why he was so reluctant to meet her gaze.

''But this shouldn't continue,'' he said quietly. ''What occurred last night...shouldn't have happened. It would taint your image, Princess, if anyone were to find out that you had touched a mere servant,'' he glanced away. ''I promise that I will not tell anyone about this.''

''Rei!'' she snapped at him, and he stared at her, startled. It was the first time he had heard her use such a impatient voice. ''I liked it. And I don't see why there's anything to be ashamed of. If we both have feelings for each other, then why shouldn't we try?''

''Because you already have a fiancé,'' Rei retorted, feeling hollow inside. Something flickered in Miku's vivid emerald eyes, and she withdrew, suddenly becoming more...silent. At once, he felt bad - he hadn't meant to hurt her feelings. Or anything.

''I know,'' she said softly, looking away. ''I'm just selfish, aren't I?'' she continued, almost to herself. ''I mean...I want you, Rei,'' she admitted, ''but I can't give up Len. He proposed to me, and I accepted...''

''Do you love him?'' Rei asked, almost fearful of the answer. There was a long pause, and finally lush, summer forest green met his gaze.

''I don't know,'' was all she said, and the look of confusion on her face made his heart twist. ''I don't know who to love. Who I love. Is it love, even? Or is it want?''

_She doesn't know whether it's love or want...but I know that I still desire to stay near her. I still want to be around her, even if she ends up using me as nothing but a toy._

_Then again, staying around her brings nothing but hurt and shattered memories...that wouldn't be any change now, would it?_

''If it is a forbidden love, then people will kill themselves to experience it, just once,'' he whispered, letting his fingers brush lightly against her cheek. ''Maybe I'm no exception. Servants don't love their princesses, Miku. Nor vice-versa. It's just not...possible.''

''We can try,'' she mumbled, sounding unconvinced. Rei's lips tilted up into a small smile at her words.

''Maybe,'' was all he said. Slowly, he leant forward and brushed his lips against her forehead. She looked up at him, almost shyly, her green eyes heavy-lidded. ''Forget about me, forget about last night,'' he whispered. ''Forget about everything, and have a better life.''

''I don't want to forget, Rei,'' she shook her head stubbornly. ''I liked you. Then I find out that, even while I thought you had hated me, you actually loved me. Loved me enough to watch from afar, even if it hurt inside,'' her voice lowered. ''How do you expect me to feel about that, Rei?''

''You should forget,'' he closed his eyes. ''And if you forget me, if you forget everything we said last night, then you can continue living like nothing had happened. You can continue being Len's fiancée without any worries.''

''Even if I forget, what about you, Rei?'' she asked sharply. ''Are you going to forget, too?''

''No,'' he sighed, eyes snapping open as he spoke. ''I won't. How could I?''

''Then how can you ask me to forget when you can't do the same yourself?'' her green eyes were filled with some kind of emotion, and then she rose from his bed, turning away. ''I'm not going to forget and throw you aside, Rei.''

With those parting words, she left the room, casting him one last, lingering glance before she quietly closed the room door. Rei swallowed, touching his cheek. Touching the skin Miku's fingers had just brushed.

_I'm not supposed to be happy that she doesn't want to forget. But I can't feel otherwise._


	15. Chapter 15

''Miku, you look depressed,'' Lenka chirped, peering up at Miku's face. ''Did something happen last night, after you helped Rei back to his room. Did he...say anything?''

Miku stared back at Lenka suspiciously. ''Why do you sound like you expect something to have happened?'' she mumbled, and the blonde princess smiled, shrugging.

''Just a question,'' she said casually. Her eyes fixed on Miku's face, who was frowning, a strange sadness present in her gaze. Those same eyes narrowed as she wondered what had happened - _if Rei said or did anything stupid to hurt her, I'm going to kill him._

''We...talked a little, last night,'' Miku said in a barely audible whisper. ''I thought it was all a dream...especially when he told me he loved me,'' she glanced down, at the ground. ''And I was so happy. He kissed me,'' her cheeks pinked, and she continued staring intently at the ground. Lenka gasped.

''Well, do you like him back?'' she said excitedly. ''As more than a friend?'' she added, wanting to make sure Miku knew exactly what she meant. Miku's cheeks turned a deeper pink, and hesitantly she nodded. Lenka blinked at Miku. ''Then isn't that a good thing?''

''I suppose?'' The lilt at the end of her sentence made it sound more like a question, than a statement. ''But this morning, when we woke up and saw it all wasn't a dream...he was _sorry _for it. He was so scared of what had happened between us - he told me to forget, Lenka.''

Lenka gaped at her. ''Seriously? Rei is such an idiot,'' she muttered, her voice trailing off as she shook her head. Miku blinked.

''Pardon? I didn't catch that,'' she mumbled, and Lenka shot her a sunny grin.

''Oh, it's nothing,'' she chirped cheerfully. ''What did you say to him, then?''

''I asked him if he himself was going to forget, and he said he couldn't. So I told him...I told him that if he couldn't forget, then neither could I.'' Miku's emerald eyes drifted up to meet Lenka's. ''But should I try not to remember? Since he seems to regret saying all that...''

''You shouldn't,'' Lenka stated firmly. ''You like him, don't you? And he likes you. So what's preventing the two of you from...I don't know, being together or anything?''

''Rei keeps saying that all of this is forbidden. That it isn't allowed. A servant cannot love a princess, just like a princess is forbidden from falling in love with her servant.'' For a moment, Miku sounded uncannily like Rei, and Lenka shuddered at the familiar words.

''Yes, but we both know Rei is an idiot,'' she said matter-of-factly. Miku stared at her for a while, then burst out laughing, her hands covering her mouth daintily as she giggled.

''Though it pains me, I have to agree,'' she nodded, wincing. ''I don't know what to do anymore, Lenka. I thought I had got over Rei, but when he told me he loved me...I don't know. I felt so happy,'' she looked up at the clear blue sky. ''But Len...I love Len too...''

Lenka sighed, tipping her head to one side. ''Can't help you with that issue, Miku. Sorry. I've never had the difficult problem of having to pick from two handsome guys before.''

Miku raised her eyebrows teasingly. ''So you're saying that you agree that Len and Rei are handsome?'' she asked slyly.

Lenka huffed. ''Me? No. I think Rei _is _pretty good-looking, but Len...ugh. No. Don't even go there. I'm just speaking from your perspective, and _you _think they're both handsome.''

''Rei and Len resemble a lot,'' Miku pointed out bluntly. ''If Rei is handsome, that means Len is attractive, too. Isn't that so, Lenka?''

''Normally, but my cousin is so weird he simply defies normal logic,'' Lenka answered just as bluntly. ''To me, he's about as attractive as...well, something not very attractive.''

''Of course you'd think that way, because your heart has been taken by the one and only Gakupo!'' Miku teased, reminding the blonde princess of the purple-haired man. Lenka's eyelids twitched.

''You're killing me,'' she muttered at the teal-haired girl, who had a wicked smile on her face. ''That weird guy? No. Just no. If I marry him, I'll lose my sanity and turn into a gibbering fool.''

''I thought you're already pretty much insane,'' Miku's grin widened. ''And he sounded so sincere, when he was proposing to you.''

Lenka gagged. ''Can we please not talk about that weird guy?'' she almost begged. ''Let's talk about _your _problem. So what will you say to Rei, the next time you run into him?''

Miku's cheerful mood disappeared, and she swallowed, thinking, but before she could speak a clear, quiet, _very familiar _voice sounded behind them, making her jump.

''I'd like to know, too,'' Rei's honey eyes fixed on Miku, and she tried not to shiver at the intense look in his eyes. ''What will you say to me, princess?'' his voice was soft.

''I thought you told me to forget about everything which had happened between us last night, Rei,'' she retorted. His gold eyes slanted towards the left as he looked away.

''Yes...so I did,'' he whispered, staring at the rose bushes nearby. They were all three out in the garden, she and Lenka sitting on a garden seat. Rei was standing behind them, at the entrance to the rose garden. She wondered why he was here - had he been looking for her?

''So why would you want to know what I would next say to you?'' she continued. ''Since you wanted me to forget, wouldn't you want my next words to be those of a princess to her servant? You won't want me to talk to you as though you were...more than that.''

''I know...that I have no right to desire for anything from you,'' he clasped his hands behind his back. ''Even though I want so much more than I have already been given...but after what you said just now,'' he hesitated. ''I can't continue pretending that I don't care.''

''So what are you saying?'' Miku could just barely choke the words out. Lenka looked back and forth between the two of them, the princess and the servant lost in their own world as they stared intently at each other.

She felt like she was intruding on something very, very private. Quietly, she rose from the bench and walked away, further into the gardens. Neither Miku nor Rei noticed.

''I'm sorry for pulling away from you,'' he glanced up at her from beneath his long, sooty eyelashes. ''None of it worked, anyway,'' he said in a soft murmur. ''I can't remember how you knew I loved you. I can't remember telling you anything at all. But you know why I did everything, I'm sure...don't you?''

He didn't remember? Miku didn't know whether she ought to be glad, or upset about that. ''You told me everything, Rei. Including why you withdrew from me. Yes, I know.''

''But it didn't work,'' he repeated, his gold eyes haunted. ''And it hurts more now, knowing that you...you actually had feelings for me, too. That this wasn't a one-sided affair,'' he winced. ''You're the fiancée of the prince, Len Kagamine. And me...I'm just your servant.''

''Rei! When are you going to stop saying that?'' she clenched her fingers into fists, at her sides, staring at the surprised boy in front of her. ''You could be so much more, but you don't want it, and I don't understand why. Anyway, I don't care that you're a servant! You...''

Rei crossed the short distance to her, faster than she could blink, his fingers drifting to her cheek. She froze, startled. ''I know all that, Miku, but I don't want to be more. If I try and become more than a servant, I'll have to leave the castle. I'd have to leave you.'' He glanced away. ''I don't want to do that.''

''But I don't care that you're a servant, and I'm a princess,'' she repeated feebly. ''We're both human beings, so how does that matter?''

His fingers caressed her cheek. ''I wish that I could share that way of thinking, but I don't. Be realistic, princess,'' his voice hardened. ''Your father treats me as a son, that's true, but do you really think he'll call off your engagement to Len Kagamine just because I love you? Can you bear to leave Len in the first place?''

''I don't know,'' she said softly. Rei's eyes narrowed, masking some kind of emotion in their golden depths.

''Then don't you think that you're being selfish, wanting two people at the same time?'' his voice was filled with pain. ''I can't love you without being hurt, princess. But I can't stop loving you either. We can't love each other...why is this so difficult?'' his voice trailed off.

Miku looked away from his gaze. His words...she was being selfish. But wasn't that all she ever was? A selfish princess?


	16. Chapter 16

''I've never seen anyone as beautiful as she is,'' Gakupo declared stubbornly, pointing his fork in Len's direction threateningly. ''How can you say anything less of your own cousin?''

Len shrugged, leaning back in his chair. ''She's not my cousin,'' he muttered, only for his own ears. ''At least, not as close a cousin as you would assume...'' Viciously, he stabbed at the slab of beef on his plate with his knife.

''Pardon?'' Gakupo raised his eyebrows, letting the fork dangle limply from his hand. ''I didn't quite catch what you were saying.''

''Nothing,'' Len shot him a charming smile. ''You seem rather tired, Gakupo. Perhaps you should go to bed. When I return to the Hatsunes' palace, I will be sure to tell Lenka all about how much you would like to marry her. She will definitely be most delighted.''

''May I follow you back?'' Gakupo jerked up at once, enthusiasm shining in his dark blue eyes. Len let a smirk cross his face.

''I don't see why not,'' he purred. ''Well, if you do not mind me being disrespectful, I shall leave now. Rin and Kaito have been keeping me from having sufficient sleep, these few nights.''

Gakupo nodded understandingly, returning his focus to the steak on his plate. Len rose from the dining table, turning so that no one would see the triumphant smirk on his face - all this was too easy. Acting all kind and _nice _- it was beginning to sicken him, truly.

Whistling, he walked out of the dining hall, heading in the direction of his room. As he passed by Rin and Kaito's room, the door was flung open, revealing his temperamental sister and her choking fiancé. Rin had grabbed him by his tie, and Kaito's face was turning blue. It clashed terribly with his navy hair.

''Len!'' Rin demanded, jerking her struggling fiancé around. ''He just insulted me by saying that I looked hideous in this dress!''

''You do!'' Kaito protested feebly, clutching at the tie Rin was choking him with. Len cocked an eyebrow and stared at the dress Rin was wearing - well, he had to agree with Kaito. Green and blue was just not Rin's colour.

''Kaito's right, you look terrible, Rin. Change out of that hideous thing you call a dress and wear something more orange and black. Oh, and burn that pile of fabric while you're at it.''

Rin gaped at him. ''Len, you're so mean all of a sudden. You used to always agree with me, not with this clown!'' she shot Kaito a glare.

''Well, I've changed,'' Len smiled easily. ''And instead of being a wimp who always agreed with whatever you said, I finally make decisions of my own now! And my verdict is that you look horrendous. Like what Kaito said.''

Rin's grip slackened, finally letting Kaito breathe. He rubbed as his neck, sucking in deep gulps of air as Rin stared disbelievingly at her twin brother, who grinned back.

''What happened to you while you were at the Hatsunes' palace, Len?'' she asked slowly.

''I learnt to become more independent. That's all there is to it,'' he smiled cheerfully, then swept past the ever-fighting couple into his own room, sighing in relief. And a little irritation.

He was sick of always mediating between that little brat and her hopeless fiancé. Why couldn't they just solve their own problems? Better yet, just call off the damned engagement. Then there wouldn't be so much constant bickering, and he wouldn't have to put up with all their petty fights and pointless arguments.

Locking the door of his room behind him, he turned and regarded the room, pleased. It was comfortable, luxurious - everything a royal could expect and desire. A slow smirk crossed his face as he tilted his head back, staring at the intricately decorated ceiling. The whole room reeked of wealth and privilege.

Crossing to the other end of the large room, he used the tips of his fingers to feel across the stone wall, knocking lightly against each one. When he heard a hollow thud instead of silence, he smiled, then pressed lightly on that particular section of the stone wall.

A hidden door, flush with the stonework, swivelled inwards, revealing a set of worn stone steps which led down into the secret dungeons of the castle. Turning back to check that there was no one looking for him outside, he grabbed a lit candle from a nearby table and walked into the secret passageway.

Inside, he brushed the second stone brick, nearest the entrance, and the stone wall slid closed, throwing the passageway into darkness. Len stood still, letting his eyes gradually adjust to the dim light provided by his single lit candle. Carefully, he began walking down the stairs.

The stairs wound in a spiral shape, down and down, further and further, making him feel faintly dizzy, until finally he reached the end, stepping onto solid ground. Exhaling in relief, he peered into the dim chamber he was in.

It was lit with candles, in candle holders on the rough stone walls. There was a set of bars there, bars which made up a prison. And in that prison, there was a boy, dressed in ragged clothes, the same age as Len was. His hair was streaked with dirt, and soil smudged his pale cheeks. His cerulean eyes stared up at him in hatred as Len set the lit candle down.

''Had your dinner yet?'' Len asked casually, leaning against the wall. The boy spat at him, staring down at the filthy floor he was huddled up on. Len smirked. ''Guess not.''

Walking over to the opposite end of the room, he knocked on the wooden door, fixed in the stone walls. It slowly creaked open, and one of the servants which had accompanied him here, to this palace, looked out. Seeing him, the servant bowed hastily, ducking back inside to take out a platter of food. Len took the plate from the servant's trembling hands, dismissing him with a nod of his head.

The servant closed the door, fear evident in his eyes. Len crouched down at the bars, sliding the plate of food under the small gap to the boy inside. ''Eat. There's no point in you weakening yourself from hunger.''

For the first time, the jailed boy spoke, his voice a hoarse rasp. ''You probably poisoned the food, cousin,'' he hissed, disdain in his cerulean eyes. ''You'd love nothing more than for me to die.''

Len shrugged, rising from the ground. He dusted his pants off, not bothering to look at the boy on the ground, inside. ''I never wanted you to die. I just need you out of the way for a while. Besides, you don't suffer - you are the one who chooses not to eat or bathe.'' Len wrinkled his nose. ''I can smell you.''

The boy inside scoffed. ''What would you care? No one visits me except your servants, anyway. They're all frightened of you. Strange, you haven't visited me for a few weeks. Where have you been?'' there was reluctant curiosity in the boy's voice, and Len smirked.

''I just came back quite recently from visiting Miku,'' he said softly, letting his fingers run down the bars of the prison. ''About a week ago...and I almost forgot entirely about your existence. I apologise for that.''

''Miku?'' the boy's eyes widened. ''Miku Hatsune?'' At that, his hands shot out, his fingers wrapping around the bars of his cage as he shook the bars, rattling it. ''You better not have hurt her or anything like that,'' he hissed. ''Or I swear, I will find a way out of this cage and kill you. Slowly and painfully.''

''Relax,'' Len drawled. ''I know how to act, don't worry.'' The smirk returned to his face as he brushed his fingers across his lips. ''She tastes good...like caramel. Honey and caramel. No wonder you're so protective of her. When was the last time you kissed her, I wonder?''

''Never,'' the boy spat. ''Because you took everything away from me.'' His cerulean eyes, just like Len's, glittered with hate. ''Weren't you supposed to leave? Go back to your home town? How many men had you hidden away?''

''Many,'' Len whispered, leaning close to the boy. ''Most of my servants followed me here. They fear me, as you know - and their fear makes them loyal,'' he smirked. ''You have always been too soft. You never knew how to take advantage of political ties. The Hatsunes are wealthy and influential - but you didn't give a damn about all that, did you? You just wanted the princess.''

''What, and you deny that you didn't?'' the boy questioned, eyes flashing. Len shrugged.

''I did,'' he said simply. ''But she is nothing more than a passing interest - if there is another princess, richer, more powerful, then I see no point in staying around with Miku. It's best to go along with the one with most influence.''

''You're despicable,'' was all the boy said. ''Power-hungry people are bound to meet a terrible fate. Locking me away isn't helping your cause in any way - I've been stuck down here for a month already, haven't I? I lose track of the days easily, and no one tells me...''

''A little over a month.'' Len shrugged. ''And it does help me. If I marry Miku Hatsune...'' a slow smile curved his lips, ''I'd know how to use the influence that would bring far better than you would. You would be happy enough with her as your wife - how pathetic,'' he sneered.

Reaching up, he tugged the hair band which tied up his blonde hair down, his bright blonde hair falling around his face - he now looked exactly like the boy, trapped behind the bars.

He handed the hair band to the boy, who took it suspiciously, his cerulean eyes never leaving his. ''Tie up your hair. It's so dirty - you really ought to take a bath. How is your state befitting that of a prince, I wonder?'' he smiled. He was ignored, and he expected that reaction.

''At least you look neater with your hair tied up...'' he murmured as the boy expertly tied his hair up into a small ponytail, ''Don't you agree with me, Len Kagamine?'' he smirked.

''I'll find a way out of here, Rinto,'' Len answered from behind the bars. ''I'll get my identity, and my fiancée, back. Just wait.''

''I've been waiting for that to happen for a month already,'' Rinto turned to walk away, shooting Len a wicked grin over his shoulder. ''Nothing seems to be happening, does it?''

Len didn't reply, and Rinto ran his fingers through his chin-length blonde hair, thinking. It felt good to have the last word.


	17. Chapter 17

_What do you think is going to happen to us? What kind of choices do you think we should make? If we were meant to be together, we will be - even if it is forbidden for a princess and a servant to love each other. Right?_

Miku jerked out of her reverie as someone knocked on the door of her room. ''Come in,'' she called, looking idly down at her bed sheets. There was a long pause.

Slowly, the door was pushed open, and then she sat up, eyes wide as she saw familiar jet black hair and mesmerising gold, honey coloured eyes. Rei hesitated at the open door, almost as though he didn't dare to step inside her room.

Miku could have stared at him forever, given the way she had been stunned speechless by his sudden appearance at her door. But as her eyes took him in, she noticed the fact that his arm had been wrapped up in white bandages.

''Rei!'' At once, she was off her bed as she hurried over to him. His golden eyes widened as he stared at her. ''What happened to your arm?'' she stared worriedly at the limb in question.

''Oh,'' he glanced down at his bandaged arm. ''Nothing. I fell and accidentally sprained my arm...but at least I didn't break it,'' he smiled, then winced as he accidentally shifted his arm, pulling at the sprain.

Miku blinked down at his arm. It was his right arm, to make matters worse - Rei happened to be a right-hander. ''How long is it going to take for your arm to recover?'' she asked, concerned. He cocked his head, thinking for a while.

''A couple of days, I guess. A week, maybe?'' he shrugged, then winced again in pain. ''It's just a sprain,'' he said dismissively. ''It's minor, and it's really nothing to worry about...I'll be fine before anyone else can notice it.''

Miku hesitated, then finally nodded. ''Okay. So...why were you looking for me?'' she asked, remembering that he hadn't mentioned a reason why he had knocked on her door.

Rei seemed to flush a little. ''I...I wanted to see you,'' he admitted softly. ''After our...talk yesterday, when after that you just ran away from me...I didn't know what I should do, so I thought that I should give you some time to cool off and think before I looked for you again.''

After yesterday. After Rei had asked her whether or not she felt that she was being selfish, to not know who to pick. Him or Len. Yes, maybe she was being selfish - but what about Rei himself? Wasn't putting this pressure on her selfish of him as well, in its own way?

''What do you want me to say?'' she mumbled, averting her gaze. She felt fingers brushing against her cheek, and then Rei's hand cupped her face, tilting her face up so that she had to meet his gaze. Her breath caught.

People said that the eyes were the windows to the soul. Looking into someone's eyes could give you an idea of what that particular person was like. As she stared into Rei's honey eyes, there was an unmistakeable depth and sadness to them - and once again, she was reminded of how she had never before seen eyes as desolate, as haunted looking as Rei Kagene's.

''What...do you think of me?'' he breathed, his golden eyes searching hers, looking for answers of some kind. Miku inhaled his scent as his cool breath washed over her face, a strange but intoxicating mix of sweet vanilla and crisp mint. The scents should clash, but they didn't - they just made her feel slightly heady. He smelled really good...

''Why do you want to know?'' she replied a little breathlessly, her eyelids fluttering as Rei stared intensely at her. She wasn't really thinking about what to say, he was just so distracting. His gaze dropped to her lips, and she wondered at the expression in his lovely eyes.

He looked conflicted, like he was torn between two choices. Like he wanted to make a decision of some sort, but had no idea what he ought choose...suddenly, his eyes closed, and then he leant down and kissed her, his soft lips meeting her own. Her eyes widened in shock.

It was a chaste kiss, not the deep possessive ones they had exchanged, the night they had thought that everything was a mere dream. It was a soft kiss, a sweet kiss, one that seemed to ask her a question. A kiss which pleaded for some kind of answer - pleaded, not demanded. But what question was Rei asking her?

He tasted of vanilla. It was sweet, and it wasn't a scent, a taste that she would have expected Rei to have. But that was what he tasted of, and she knew she didn't want him to stop. She wanted him to keep touching her this way - because it felt right. It felt natural, in fact.

Rei knew he shouldn't be doing this. As a servant, it was not in his place to touch his princess, not this way - and especially not without her express permission. But he hadn't been able to help himself, as he stared down at her large emerald eyes and full, soft lips.

Logic warred with desire, and even now he still fought with his own values. He still fought with his own wishes and desires. This internal struggle was the reason why he didn't dare to try something more passionate - why all he dared to try was a brush, a meeting of their lips. A sweet, soft kiss - innocent and unsure.

What she thought of him...the question that Rei had just asked. To be honest, he wasn't sure whether or not he actually wanted an answer to that question - he wanted to know so badly, but at the same time he feared her reply. What would she say, and how would she respond?

They said that the eyes were the windows to one's soul. That it was possible for someone to tell what the other person was like, just by looking into their eyes. And as Rei gazed into her emerald green eyes, he was struck anew by exactly how beautiful she was...by how she was a contradictory mix of both childish innocence and adult maturity. At how she seemed so unsure, yet confident, at the same time.

His lips still covered hers, and she tasted like warm honey and sweet caramel. She tasted like sunshine and sweetness - she tasted of everything he had never had. Warmth, affection, the love of a close family - things that he had long lost, since he had been a child.

The royal family was kind to him, and looked at him as though he was their own son. But still, there was a distinct barrier between the royalty and the servant class, and this businesslike warmth wasn't a good enough substitute for a father's protectiveness and a mother's warm, selfless love. This barrier between social classes was one he would never cross.

He pulled away, breathing a little harder than usual. Miku's eyes gazed up at him, and he could see himself in that vivid emerald, his own eyes confused and unsure. Honestly, he was tired of how indecisive he was. He was tired of how unsure, how cautious, both he and Miku always were with each other.

But he always had to tread carefully around her. This wasn't right, it wasn't accepted by society. Royalty was expected to love only aristocracy, and servants should not dare to even look beyond their own class. It was inevitable that some servants would eventually fall in love with their rulers, but nothing could be done. No confession could be spoken, no moves could be made. They would forever be just servant and princess, no matter what he desired.

He still wondered what she thought of him. Who did she view him as, who was he to her, in her eyes? She had loved him once before - if she still loved him...even if nothing could be done, he would still be happy. He would still rejoice that she loved him, rejoice that his foolish affection wasn't totally one-sided.

''Who am I to you?'' he whispered, almost begging her for an answer. She pulled away from him, her mesmerising emerald eyes seeming to trap him in their soulful depths - like she was trying to work out what he was thinking, how he was feeling.

''You really want to know?'' she asked in reply. Hesitantly, he nodded, and wearily she closed her eyes. He shivered, waiting for her next few words - he was feeling so tensed. He hung on to her words like a drowning man, clutching on to a flimsy piece of driftwood to stay afloat.

''You confuse me. At times, you keep telling me that we can't be together, that our social statuses are too different for us to ever love each other. Yet at other times, you're loving. You...you actually seem to want me,'' she blushed a little, pale cheeks turning slightly pink. ''Exactly like how you were, just now.''

''Should I apologise for that?'' he asked, suddenly unable to meet her gaze. Her words had triggered that familiar wave of emotion, that mixture of both guilt and want. Guilt that he desired what he couldn't have, and want for her. Want and desire for her. Looking adorably confused, she shook her head.

''What for?'' she nibbled on her lower lip, eyes intent upon him. ''But Rei...if I asked you to give us a chance, to give this a chance...'' her eyes flicked up to meet his, ''What would you do?''


	18. Chapter 18

_**Solitaryloner: **I was in a rush. Not a rush to type out this chapter, but because I just wanted Rei and Miku to get together already, damn it. I was re-reading this and getting really annoyed, like all: WHY AREN'T THEY LIKE TOGETHER YET THIS IS FRUSTRATING. AND REI. WHY ARE YOU BEING SO ANGST._

_And then I remembered that I was the author and I can control this story! *evil laughter* so anyway, I am a pervert. Lemon alert for this chapter or the next...yes, I like being a pervert. After writing that lemon for my story Disallowed *shameless advertising* I've got much less embarrassed about lemons._

_Incidentally, for anyone who cares, I wrote this while listening to iNSaNiTY (aSYLuM ReMiX). Awesome song, even more awesome remix. Imagine me writing and dancing at the same time - so pardon if this chapter falls short of my usual standards *head banging*_

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''Give us a chance?'' Rei blinked, unsure whether he had just heard Miku correctly. ''As in...whether I'd be willing to actually...'' he waved his left hand helplessly, ''enter a relationship with you?'' He sounded like an utter fool.

Miku didn't laugh at the way he stumbled over his words, though. She tilted her head, her large emerald eyes regarding him curiously. She seemed to be asking him a question, with those vividly lovely eyes. ''Yes. Would you be willing to give the love between us a chance?''

He knew, in his heart, that this wasn't right - that he was a servant, and servants shouldn't dirty their mistresses with their lowly statuses. Compared to the beautiful Hatsune princess, he was nothing more than an ant. Insignificant. Easily replaced, easily overlooked.

So why did he suddenly feel so hungry for her? For her taste, her lips, her touch? He wanted her. Logic clashed with untameable desire - a sudden, overwhelming desire which had been borne of lust, hidden for far too many years.

Wanting someone for thirteen years...wanting someone who was always tauntingly within reach, and yet not, could be sheer torture. The lust just builds and builds, though you try to hide it beneath politeness and calm, and when the flame is ignited and held too near...things could happen. Things he knew he would regret, later - so why was it that he didn't care?

He glanced down at his right arm. The sprain seemed ridiculously unimportant, compared to the girl standing before him, and mentally he shrugged. He was going to throw everything away for a little chance at what he wanted - a tiny bit of pain wasn't going to hurt. He reached out, grabbing her shoulders, then tugged her towards him, a smirk gracing his lips.

''Give us a chance, Miku?'' he murmured, leaning down to whisper in her ear. She shivered against him, and his smirk widened, him ignoring the deep ache in his sprained arm. The pain would go away, being overshadowed by pleasure - he knew that. He knew that the satisfaction of tasting his princess would wash all the pain away, even if only briefly.

''You would, wouldn't you?'' her green eyes looked slightly dreamy. ''You wouldn't be doing this, otherwise,'' she continued in that dreamy way, her sweet, rose scented breath washing lightly over his face. The rush of cool air made him shiver - from want. From need...

Before she could say anything else, he tipped her face up, then hungrily he claimed her mouth, knowing that he had resisted her and her sweet taste for far too long. It was driving him mad, and her question was the final straw which had pushed him over the edge, into the never-ending chasm that was temptation - once he fell in, he didn't want to climb out.

Give them a chance? She had no idea how much he had wanted her to give him a chance. Hiding it beneath logic and reason, believing that she would never return his feelings - yes, a little part of him still felt that way. The cool, reasonable side of him which knew that he ought to be punished for daring to touch Miku this way. Especially since she was engaged.

But honestly, Rei didn't particularly care, not at this moment. He forced his tongue past her parted lips, into her lush mouth, and she allowed him access, moaning quietly as he took everything she had to give...and demanded more. He was aggressive, dominant, and to tell the truth that excited her. It was wrong.

It was wrong, but it felt so very right. His fingers pressed into her back, her softness against his hard body, and she couldn't help but desire more and more of his taste - his mint and vanilla taste was like an addictive drug, and she was hooked on it. She needed more.

She wondered what had made him change his mind. Honestly speaking, she was rather shocked that Rei had reacted this way to her question - she had expected him to avert his gaze and reiterate that they were mistress and servant...so they could never be together.

What she had not expected was this. Rei was kissing her, and he was doing so hungrily, passionately - like he didn't care about whether or not they would get caught. He didn't care about whether or not this was allowed, or if this was forbidden - all she wanted was him. And it seemed that all he wanted was her.

That was more than good enough for Miku. She had loved him when they had been children, though she had tried hard to forget, tried hard to convince herself otherwise - and now, she was reminded of how much she had liked him before. How she loved the way he was so witty, so gentle, how he could make her laugh.

He was far from gentle now - she noticed dazedly that he had somehow pushed her onto her bed, while they had been kissing - but she couldn't deny that she liked this side to Rei as much as she liked his usual gentleness. She had always noticed the way Rei treated her, as though she was some kind of priceless porcelain doll that he was frightened of breaking - but she liked this passion too.

''All this want is driving me insane,'' Rei breathed when he pulled away from her, a trail of saliva following him. The trail broke, and it fell back onto Miku's lips. She licked it off shyly, watching him watch her, and his golden eyes darkened. With hunger? With lust? She didn't know, and that fact excited her too.

''Why did you do that?'' she attempted to sound accusing, but it came out breathless. Rei smirked, and she blinked as she realised that he was straddling her waist, looking down at her. Her fingers were fisted in his shirt, and she blushed lightly as she noticed the fact that his shirt was unbuttoned - she hadn't noticed the way she had been mauling him.

And he hadn't made any move to stop her, either...curious, she slid her hands past his unbuttoned shirt, brushing her fingers lightly against pale, firm skin, and she felt Rei shiver on top of her. His lips parted as he moaned, and she had to tremble at that, too.

''Don't deny that you liked our kiss, Miku,'' he murmured, clasping her hands as they trailed further down his toned stomach, lingering around the waistband of his black pants. She felt almost disappointed that he caught her wandering hands, before they could go further down. And then she realised the direction her thoughts were taking.

Blushing, she quelled the train of thoughts running through her mind. He noticed her reddened cheeks, and his full lips tilted up into a smirk. ''Is someone feeling shy?'' he teased, running the back of his other hand down, against her cheek. Miku frowned at him.

''When did you become such a flirt?'' she questioned, and Rei shrugged, his golden eyes gleaming with knowingness. She suddenly felt so inexperienced, compared to him.

''I don't know,'' he answered. ''It just comes naturally to me, I suppose,'' he drawled, his tone teasing. Then his eyes darkened, losing the good humour they had in them, just seconds before. Miku gasped as he leant down, his warm tongue making a trail down her neck.

''You have no idea...'' he whispered against the skin of her neck, the vibrations his lips made causing her to squirm and squeak, ''how long I've desired this. How much I hid all that I yearned for under masks. Knowing that you wouldn't accept the love of your servant,'' his teeth nibbled at her collarbone, and she cried out his name, breathing heavily.

''Why didn't you tell me anything before this?'' she gasped out, her hands reaching up past his head, fingers fisting in his silky black hair.

''I didn't know how much I wanted you. Desired to feel your touch. But your question...should I give this a chance? The way you stared at me...'' his golden eyes met hers. ''I couldn't resist anymore. Let me fall into the unbearable temptation you present. I want more - I can't help desiring you this way, though I know I shouldn't. Would you say that I'm selfish?''

''No,'' she whispered, her back arching as once again, she felt his teeth graze lightly at the sensitive spot between neck and shoulder. ''I want this too. How long do you think we spent, trying to deny our need for each other?''

''Too long,'' his answer was simple. ''Far too long. I spent too long thinking that you would never love me, that I was unworthy of you. I let the want build up for too long...but I can't say that I regret my lust for you,'' he exhaled, cool breath washing against the skin he had just bit. ''The desire that I kept, tightly coiled within myself...I wanted you, though I denied myself your taste. And it was driving me mad.''

''Too long,'' she echoed. ''I denied my feelings for you for far too long,'' she pulled him back down for another kiss, and he went gladly, his tongue as skilled and possessive as ever. She wondered how he had become so good - she had never heard of Rei being intimate with anyone in the palace before. Strange.

''How are you so good at this?'' she panted out, after he released her from his hold. His fingers caressed her cheek, and he smiled shyly. It was so different from how he had been acting earlier that she blinked, startled by the sudden, unexpected change in his attitude.

''Dreams,'' he answered simply. ''I had dreams where I was kissing you. Maybe that was stupid, but I loved the way it was so realistic...'' hunger lit his eyes once more. ''I love you,'' he said softly, sending shivers down her spine. ''And I want to make you mine,'' he declared, nuzzling into the curve of her neck.

It didn't matter that their love was forbidden. Rei didn't care. _I'll regret all this in time to come, I know. But I don't want to think about the future right now. I just want her. I can't stop wanting her - the consequences of lust, having built up for far too long a time, and without any outlet for release._

Silently, he begged her to agree - he didn't know how he would react if she were to reject him now. Her green eyes flicked up to meet his gaze, and they looked conflicted.

He planted a gentle kiss at her jawline, and she breathed out, shivering slightly against him again. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she leant her forehead against his, both of them just staring expectantly into each other's eyes.

''I want you to be my first, Rei-rei,'' she murmured, her voice a soft, sensuous whisper. Rei wondered if he was dreaming, but he knew that he wasn't - he knew that all this was really happening. And he was feeling euphoric about it. He would regret it all, but for now, he wanted to do nothing more than to find an outlet for his lust. The need that he had try to deny having, the cravings and yearnings for her that he hadn't been able to help feeling.

''Your every wish is my command.''


	19. Chapter 19

_**Solitaryloner: **__Okay, lemon alert this time. Definitely. I was going to drag out this author's note until the lemon has to take place next chapter, but I decided not to do that because I am so incredibly freaking nice._

_And also because I know a lot of you guys have been waiting for this for an frustratingly long time. I know how it feels. So here you go, Chapter 19 of Forbidden! Hope everyone enjoys it! This should've happened ages ago..._

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Rei didn't know what to do. Like Miku, this was his first time doing this, and they were both inexperienced. What he knew, however, was that it would hurt for her when he took her...virginity. And Rei didn't want her to hurt.

Gently, he let his lips run against her skin, trailing sweet little butterfly kisses down her long, slender neck. Miku whimpered, her fingers clenching in his black hair, and Rei held back a smirk. He liked that she enjoyed it - he liked that he had been the one to bring her pleasure, like the way he had always wanted to, ever since...a long time ago.

''Kiss me again,'' she whispered, her fingers running through his jet black hair. He did smirk this time, leaning close to her, her body pinned between him and the soft mattress below them. He never would have dared to imagine that this sort of thing would ever happen between them...he had thought that the previous time had been a mere dream.

''Whatever you want,'' he whispered back, gently pressing his lips against hers. Their tongues met, then entwined, and Rei let her take dominance, since she was his princess after all. Her fingers clutched his hair, pressing his face towards hers, and he felt her exploring his mouth. Inexperienced. Could use more finesse. A hungry, clumsy, wanting kiss.

''Fight back,'' she murmured against his lips, gasping as his tongue flicked out, running against her full, soft lips...he obeyed her command, wresting control away from her as he forced his tongue inside her mouth, eliciting a soft groan from her. Miku tasted like honey and caramel, a sweet taste he wanted more of. He wanted so much of that sweetness, he didn't mind rotting and decaying from it all.

He just craved more of it. Flipping them over, he closed his eyes as he felt her slender fingers reach downwards, trailing lightly across his bare torso. Her touch felt so good on his heated skin, her teal hair brushing silkily against his arms. It all felt so good. Better than anything he would ever have dared to imagine.

He broke off when he felt her start to tug on his shirt, and she mewled in protest. His lips tilted up as he placed a finger against her lips, gently shushing her. ''Not so fast,'' he whispered. ''Let me see you first, princess...'' Tipping his face upwards, he nibbled on the satin skin of her neck, and she let out a soft, shocked gasp.

His fingers reached around the back of her dress, where the sky blue silk dress she was wearing was laced up tightly. Tugging on the strings, the intricate dress fell apart, and he slid the heavy material off her slender body, the fabric pooling around them on her bed. She let him slide the dress off, her green eyes watching him with a mixture of wonder and curiosity.

She was left in a simple little white cotton under dress...and below that, her undergarments. His tongue flicked out hungrily, running against his lips as he imagined her body, bared for him to see. Normally, he would have never dared to imagine anything like that, but this time was different. He yearned for her so badly, he almost couldn't stand it.

The way she was straddling him, just watching him, completely unsure about what to do...he loved it. His hands slid down her bare shoulders, and she shivered as his fingers trailed to the buttons of her under dress. Slowly, each button was slid out its hole, then he yanked the dress up and over her head, tossing it unceremoniously on the floor.

His golden eyes met her emerald ones as he heard her breath catch, and gently he leant up, brushing his lips against her pale forehead. ''You won't have any regrets?'' he asked quietly, holding her a little closer to him. Biting her bottom lip, she shook her head - and to ease her nervousness, he nuzzled into the curve of her neck, making her giggle and squirm.

Gently, he kissed her shoulder, almost reverently. Taking the sight of her in, almost naked...Rei gritted his teeth to prevent himself from doing anything too forceful. Quickly, before he could hesitate, he unhooked her bra and tore her lacy panties off. She gasped, startled by the sudden violence of his actions, but he covered her lips with his, quietening her gasp.

''You're beautiful, princess,'' he murmured soothingly as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She really was. Her skin was white and flawless, without a single blemish in sight. Her long teal hair cascaded down her back, the teal strands covering her pale skin, hiding her from view. Her full lips looked soft and kissable - and he knew, from experience, that they were.

''Don't call me princess, Rei,'' she answered, surprising him. ''Just call me Miku for once. Please?'' her emerald eyes held a plea, and hesitantly he nodded. Miku. He was struck by an urge to taste that satiny skin, and in one swift movement he had her under him, him straddling her waist possessively as she stared back up at him, her eyes wide.

Her teal hair spilled over her pillows, her hands over her head as he effortlessly trapped her wrists with one hand. His other hand trailed down her skin, lightly, teasingly, from her collarbone all the way to her navel, swirling circular patterns around her waist.

It was a strangely erotic feeling, to have her trapped beneath him completely naked, while he himself was still fully clothed. Her eyelids lowered sensuously, and she sighed, her sweet scented breath washing across his face. ''What are you going to do to me?'' she whispered, the sudden huskiness of her voice causing him to tremble. He had never wanted anything else so badly before. Ever. He felt...as though he would die, if he didn't possess her right now.

''I'm going to please you so thoroughly, you're not going to want to leave this bed,'' he answered, sliding his arms out of his already unbuttoned shirt. The shirt was thrown carelessly onto the floor, off the bed, just like the rest of Miku's clothes, and now he was shirtless. She stared at his bare torso, then up at him, a light blush colouring her cheeks.

He smirked at her. ''There's more,'' he hinted suggestively, and her blush deepened, her face turning the colour of cherries. Playfully, he leant down, nipping at her lips, then rose from the bed, standing close so that he was still leaning over her. She stared at him, waiting, wondering what he was going to do next. Rei felt his smirk widen - Miku was just so adorable...

He unbuckled his belt, then discarded the last few articles of clothing he had left on his body. Miku's gasp of embarrassment made him laugh, as she stared at him, her eyes constantly darting away from his face to everywhere else in the room. Leaning down, he caught her chin, tipping her face up to meet his.

''Don't be shy,'' he purred at her, perfectly comfortable with being in his own skin. After all, he knew that he wasn't ugly, and he knew that he wasn't hard to stare at. He was a little surprised at his own new attitude, but he didn't try to change it. Miku's surprise was evident on her face, her lips parted slightly in shock. She sat up on her bed, staring at him curiously.

It wasn't fair that anyone could look so tempting. Honestly, Rei was finding it very hard to not give in to the urges he could feel and just take her - but she was his princess. He didn't want to hurt her. And if she was hurt by him, it would add even more to the regret he knew he would feel, after all of this was over.

Gracefully, he knelt in front of her, taking her hand and lifting it to his lips. ''I won't hurt you,'' he whispered against her skin. He felt her tremble against him. ''You trust me, right?''

She nodded, confident and sure. He smiled, then beckoned for her to lie down on her bed. She did as he indicated, confusion evident in her eyes. Rei sat next to her, then lightly he let his fingers trail down her body, starting at her cheeks, swirling down to her breasts, gliding down her waist, to her hips...

Miku bit her lip to hold back a whimper as Rei's fingers stroked her skin gently. It felt so good - it made her want to shiver as he touched her sensitive skin. All of a sudden, he seemed to know so much...he knew exactly what he was doing, as he touched her. She had no doubt that he knew perfectly well what he was doing.

When he had removed her clothes, she had felt so embarrassed, wondering what he would think of her. And when he had taken off his clothes, she had become even more embarrassed. It had been the first time she had seen any boy naked before, and honestly?

Rei looked good without his clothes on. She wanted to stop herself from thinking along those lines, but her mind wouldn't stop, racing off all by itself - focusing on his lean physique, his toned chest, his narrow waist and hips. His hands were bigger than hers, but despite how he was a servant, those long fingers were still soft and smooth. Much like hers.

His golden eyes were beautiful, flecked with little bits of amber and honey. He was gorgeous - breathtakingly handsome. Chiselled cheekbones, sensuous, full lips, his thick silky black hair she wanted to run her fingers through - he was handsome. More than just handsome...he was beautiful, almost.

His fingers paused, and she realised that they were at her thighs. At her inner thighs, to be more specific. Blushing furiously, she parted her thighs a little more, wondering if he would understand what she wanted him to do, and his eyes softened as he nodded at her. His long, slender fingers slid inside her body, and she jerked as she felt his fingers enter her.

A soft sigh escaped her lips. It felt so good, especially when he began to move his fingers around inside her. Her eyes closed in bliss as his fingers moved within her. In. Out. In. Out. She wanted to squirm around him, but resisted the urge, fingers clenching her bedsheets tightly. All this felt so new, but so good.

Suddenly, she felt something warm touch the tip of her breast, and her eyes flew open, startled. Rei had taken the tip of her breast into his mouth, and now he was suckling on it as his fingers continued their movements inside her body. His other hand reached up to her remaining, neglected breast, and as his fingers began to play with the tip she cried out.

''Rei,'' she whimpered, feeling something tug at her stomach. Tug downwards. Her body clenched tightly around Rei's fingers, and she gasped, her eyelids fluttering. She was on the edge of something, and she could sense it - she didn't know what it was, but she knew that she wanted to fall past that edge. Into pleasure.

Then, almost cruelly, Rei removed his fingers, reaching up to brush his lips against hers. She hissed, feeling empty. She missed his touch, and she wanted...she wanted his fingers back. Slowly, she let her own fingers crawl downwards, towards the core of her body which throbbed, almost painfully. Needy.

He caught her hand, preventing her from touching herself, and she hissed at him, her eyes flying open. Rei's golden eyes were dark, and he shook his head at her. Biting on her lower lip, she obeyed, removing her hand. Rei then shifted, moving to lean against the headboard of her bed, next to her. ''Come here,'' he whispered, his voice amazingly seductive.

She obeyed again, crawling over to him. Effortlessly, he lifted her up, as though she weighed no more than a feather, then settled her on his lap. Miku swallowed - her stomach was pressed right up against..._him. _And she couldn't help but feel excited about that.

''No regrets?'' he asked again, this time sounding almost worried. She shook her head furiously, wanting him. Wanting him more than she had wanted anything in her life.

He cocked his head, eyes softening once more. Again, he lifted her up, but this time he settled her on top of him, the tip of his hardness brushing lightly against the core of her body. She swallowed - his eyes met hers again, and there was uncertainty in their gold depths.

Determination filled her, and before he could react, she pushed herself down, impaling herself onto him, taking the whole of him into her body. Immediately she cried out at the sudden, intense pain as he broke past her hymen - but then, after clinging on tightly to him for a while, the pain lessened, muting into something more like...fullness. She felt...full.

He leant forward, kissing her forehead, his eyes filled with worry. ''Do you still hurt?'' he asked quickly. She shook her head, no, and he exhaled. Once he was sure that she had adjusted to the feeling of him inside her, he slowly began to slide her up and down, and she moaned quietly, leaning forward to nuzzle into his chest.

Rei wanted to moan, too. Her body was warm and tight, welcoming him, and it felt so good. It felt better than anything he could have ever imagined, and he wondered how long this could last. How long he could draw it out for before they would have to part. Before he had to tear himself away from her. Because one thing he knew was that he never wanted to leave.

Miku squeezed her eyes shut. The pain had quickly turned into pleasure as Rei started sliding her up and down his hard shaft, and she was beginning to feel a little giddy from all the pleasure. Reaching forward, she wrapped her arms around his neck, her lips pressing against the sensitive spot between neck and shoulder.

Rei sucked in a breath as she nibbled lightly on his skin, grazing it with her teeth. When she actually sank her teeth into his skin as she felt her body clench tightly around him, he moaned out her name. And it felt so good, to know that she had brought Rei pleasure.

Curious, she ran her tongue out against the spot she had bitten, watching a faint bruise form there, and she felt him shiver against her. Her lips curved up into a smile - until Rei leant forward and did the exact same thing to her. When she felt his teeth sink into the sensitive skin of her neck, she threw her head back, crying out. The bite...actually felt good.

Her legs wrapped around his body, their movements become more hurried, more frenzied - until finally, she could withstand the building pleasure no more. She cried out his name at the same time she heard him moan hers out, and then she felt her body tighten, her mind entering a sudden stage of relaxed blankness. It felt so good...so peaceful...

Something throbbed inside her, and then Rei pulled out from her body, breathing hard, his golden eyes hooded. She sank into his lap as he held her close, burying his face in her silky hair. Closing her eyes, she almost missed his soft murmur, ''You might want to take a bath.''

She regarded him dazedly, her eyelids half lowered. ''Why?'' she asked, and he slid a finger down her body, to the part of her which was aching and throbbing. As his fingers brushed lightly against her, she squeaked and flinched. That area was too sensitive for her right now.

Quickly, he withdrew, eyes still hooded.

He showed her the finger which he had touched her with, and it was covered with a milky white substance. Surprised, she blinked down at herself - more of the sticky substance covered her inner thighs. She didn't know what it was, and she had never seen it before - did it come from Rei? How strange. Boys were so very different from girls...she would never get it.

Leaning forward, she took Rei's finger, shyly letting her tongue dart out, licking the finger clean. He moaned quietly, his eyes once again darkening in hunger, and before she knew it he had her pinned down below him.

She smiled. She loved Rei. And, as she felt him claim her again, she hoped that he would never leave her side.


	20. Chapter 20

_**Solitaryloner: **I feel like I haven't updated this story in like, forever...anyway, the angst is coming back. Just a little warning for my readers. Yes, the angst is returning, and it's stronger than ever. I don't know why, it's just that for some strange reason, I find writing angst incredibly fun. Even if it is extremely frustrating at times._

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Rei held her close, burying his face in her silky teal hair. His arms were wrapped around her waist as she slept next to him. He himself was unable to believe what had just happened between them - and again, a sense of guilt crept up upon him. _That wasn't right..._

But the feeling of regret, of guilt, was tempered by the contentment that he was experiencing. She loved him. He loved her. Wasn't that enough? Logic whispered no, though. Logic told him that even if he loved her, nothing could come out of it. She was a princess, next in line for the throne, and he was known as nothing more than her humble servant. Their relationship was strictly frowned upon.

He tensed, but slowly he began to relax as Miku's sweet scent filled his nose. She smelled like roses still, despite what had just taken place between them - pulling her just a little bit closer, he nuzzled into the curve of her neck. He was still dazed from what had happened earlier, dazed and drunk on her scent. The feeling of contentment, of awe, filled him as he ran his fingers through her silken hair.

It had been unbelievable. The whole experience had been surreal, and again he wondered whether it was all a dream. The feeling of her bare skin against his...it felt so good. He couldn't believe the way he had been acting, either. It wasn't like him to be so...forward. But the change in his behaviour had been abrupt, so abrupt that he himself hadn't been able to comprehend it. It was all so strange.

He felt her stir against him, and quickly he unwound his arms from around her waist, unsure how she was going to react to him now. Would she hate him for what he had done? What would she do, and how would he react? He froze at the thought of her pushing him away from her - he couldn't stand the idea of that. Of being forced away from Miku. He loved her...he didn't ever want to let go of her.

Even though he knew that he would never be able to voice out his affections for her, he didn't ever want to let her go. Not everyone could always have their way, though. It wasn't possible for people to get what they wanted, all the time. And for Rei Kagene, he had never been able to obtain what he wanted, not really. Never for any more than a few fleeting seconds. Because his whole life, he had only ever truly wanted one thing. One person.

There was a soft moan, and then Miku stretched next to him, her slim back arching against him. He brushed his finger down her back, and he felt her shiver against him. Slowly, she turned around, facing him, her large green eyes vivid and dreamy. Soft. A slow smile curved her lips as she stared at him. ''Did everything that happened between us earlier...really happen?'' she asked. ''Or was it all just another dream?''

''It wasn't a dream,'' he whispered, searching her eyes. His hand slid up, caressing her cheek lightly. ''It had never been a dream...but in a way, it's nothing but a dream. For me, at least,'' he laughed bitterly. ''After all, no matter what we do, or what we share, I'll never be able to keep you for myself. Can I? Let's face the truth. You're engaged to Len Kagamine,'' he said quietly. ''I can't do anything to change that.''

Her small hands reached up, her fingers gripping his shoulders tightly. ''Rei. Why do you sound...as though you never expected anything to happen between us? Do you really think that I'll just throw you aside, once I've had my fun?'' her voice hardened. ''Do I really seem like that sort of person to you?'' she asked softly, her large green eyes blinking up at him. They were filled with disappointed curiosity.

He sighed, before he slowly shook his head. ''I never thought of you that way,'' he murmured, refusing to meet her gaze. ''I think you're the kindest, sweetest girl I've ever known. But then, we can't ever tell anyone else about how we feel for each other. You know it, Miku - our relationship wasn't supposed to have gone anywhere beyond princess and servant,'' he could hear the desperation in his own voice.

''But what if we did?'' she asked, her voice as quiet as his. ''Our feelings for each other...what had happened between us...do you intend to throw all of that away?'' her voice was brimming with hurt. ''Don't you care about what we share? At all?'' she leant her head against his chest, and again he sighed - what could he possibly do? He wasn't supposed to be doing this. He wasn't supposed to love her.

''It's not a question about our feelings for each other,'' he explained to her, feeling his heart twist. ''It's...it's about duty, Miku. Responsibility. As your servant, I never had any right to touch you this way. I...I did things to you, things that only should be shared between a married couple. And you can only marry a royal, Miku. I'm not royal. I'm far from being aristocratic. You deserve better than me,'' he mumbled.

''Since you know that you did things to me,'' she mimicked him, her eyes narrowing slightly at him, ''then shouldn't you take responsibility for what you did? Telling me that I deserve better than you...are you trying to shirk your duty, Rei? I don't care whether or not you're an aristocrat. Even if I realised my feelings for you too late...I still never want to lose you.'' Her cool breath washed against his skin, making him shiver.

Leaning down, he brushed his lips against her forehead, closing his eyes as he did so. ''I don't want to lose you either,'' he could feel his heart breaking at those words. ''But we can't act as though we had ever been together this way. No one will accept our relationship, Miku, and you know it. We both know it. Isn't it better...to pretend that nothing had happened between us? It makes things easier to deal with.''

Her lips tensed, and she pushed herself up, away from his arms. Her green eyes shimmered with hurt, and all he wanted to do was to kiss that hurt away - pain that he had caused. The guilt intensified, making his gut wrench. He was an idiot. A jerk. ''Sometimes, I wonder whether you really love me, or whether I'm just something you're amusing yourself with,'' she hissed at him, tears in her eyes.

Quickly, she slid off the bed, running away from him into her bathroom, slamming the door closed. He could hear the faint scraping sound of a lock turning, and he sat up, running his fingers through his unruly black hair. Confusion filled him - what had he said wrong? Glancing at the locked door, he swallowed, closing his eyes slowly, thinking about the words she had just said. Did she really mean what she said?

''I've never treated you as a mere toy,'' he whispered, though he knew she couldn't hear him while she was locked in her bathroom. ''I loved you from the very moment I first laid eyes upon you, and I've never felt this way for anyone else, ever since. How could you possibly think that I ever treated you as simple amusement?'' his fingers clenched tightly in the white bedsheets, fisting the soft cotton.

What had he said wrong? He didn't know. It was true that they could never act as though they were more than mere servant and princess - did she want more than that, though? He didn't know, nor could he be sure. His heart felt so heavy, burdened with guilt and regret. He had done things that he shouldn't have done, and now he was beginning to regret everything which had happened between them.

''Miku,'' he whispered, leaning his head back against the cool wall. His black fringe fell out of his eyes, and he stared up at the ceiling, lost in thought. _Don't you know how much it hurts, that you're running away from me like that? At least tell me what I ever did wrong. Don't just run away from me. Please. I couldn't bear the thought of losing you then - I can't stand losing you now, either. Please?_

_Don't just run away from me, and from everything...I fell in love with you, and I fell hard. I can't stop loving you, even though that love tears at me inside. I thought that perhaps I would be able to forget all that pain by being with you...but now, it just hurts more. It hurts to finally have what you yearned for, then lose it after a few brief seconds._

Slowly, he got out of bed, crouching down to pick his clothes off from the floor. Tugging his clothes on, he sighed, wrapping his arms around himself. Even if he felt like he was going to drown in his own pain, he couldn't stop carrying out his duties - his duties as servant, to his princess. To the royal family. He was nought but a servant, after all. It was good that Miku wasn't paying him any heed, now.

It was good for her reputation as the princess...but even though he knew that pretending nothing had happened was the best option, he couldn't help but feel as though his heart was breaking into little pieces. He didn't want to forget, to cast aside everything - but what other choice did he have? He couldn't be with her. It wasn't allowed. Their love was forbidden, and they both knew that. Didn't they?

Rei cast another look at the locked door, swallowing. Slowly, he walked over to the door, knocking quietly on it. ''Miku?'' he called out. There was no response, nor had he expected there to be any. He hesitated. ''I know that you're upset. But I never meant to hurt you...'' his voice trailed off as he wondered what else he ought to say. What could he possibly tell her, so that she wouldn't hate him?

''I love you,'' he said faintly, finally turning away. ''Don't run away from me again. Please. But if you want to, I don't mind...so long as I can continue watching you from afar, I won't mind anything. After all, watching you, wanting you, and never being able to obtain what I want...it's something I've long grown used to.'' He could hear the quiver in his voice, and he hated how unsure it made him sound.

There was still no response. Giving up, he walked away, leaving the room - but not before he cast the door one last, lingering glance. _Don't leave her, _his thoughts screamed out, but he pushed the thoughts away, cold logic taking their place. He needed to get away from here. Both of them needed some time to think things over, and him staying around wouldn't help in anything. She wanted to be left alone.

_You're precious to me..._swallowing, he finally shut the door behind him. But then, he wasn't able to take another step, instead sliding down the wall to kneel on the floor. His head spun as he wondered why he was feeling so conflicted. Being pushed away by her...he ought to be used to that by now. Shouldn't he? So why did it hurt so much? It hurt him enough that he didn't want to move. He just wanted to curl up and die.

Miku swallowed as she heard the sound of a door closing. She knew Rei must have left the room. Slowly, she unlocked the bathroom door, stepping outside. The cool air of her room brushed against her pale skin, raising goosebumps on her flesh, and she shivered, shaking her head. She hugged herself, staring down at the floor, trying to push thoughts of Rei out of her mind. It was for the best.

Wasn't that what he had said? That they ought to pretend that nothing had ever happened between them? It hurt her, to hear him say that - she had given him everything. Her love, her body, her heart. And he wanted to throw it all aside, like it was worthless. Her breath caught as tears stung her eyes - was she really so worthless, that Rei didn't wish to bother fighting for her? Did he care so little for her?

The promises that they had made...were they all worth nothing, then? His promises of love? He claimed that he loved her - but if this was love, then it shouldn't hurt so badly. Right? Love was supposed to be good, but this didn't feel good at all. The love that they shared was hurting both of them, and she couldn't stand it anymore. She wondered whether Rei had ever truly loved her, as he claimed. Did he?

She curled up in bed, and she flinched as Rei's unique vanilla and mint scent filled her nose. Still, she couldn't help burying her face in her pillows, the pillows that still carried a lingering trace of his scent. Their promises...were all their promises empty, then? Was everything they had shared nothing but a lie?


	21. Chapter 21

Len sat cross-legged in his cell, gazing blankly up at the ceiling. As usual, he was mentally chiding his idiocy - why had he trusted Rinto so much? If only he had been more suspicious...

But Rinto had been his very own cousin. Of course, Len hadn't put his guard up against his own family. Perhaps what Rinto constantly told him was true - he was far too soft for his own good. Perhaps, if Len had been just a tinier bit more wary of the people around him, he would not be in the predicament he was in, now.

But maybe now, there would be a way for him to escape from here. Rinto had left for the Hatsunes' palace yesterday night, so Len was now left alone, save for Rinto's servants. And Len had noticed, yesterday, that Rinto had employed a new servant. A girl. She probably hadn't had enough time to get used to the fact that they weren't supposed to talk to Len.

He felt guilty at the thought of using this new servant girl to aid him in his escape from here, but it was a choice between his freedom, and letting his cousin have his way with Len's own fiancée. Len gritted his teeth at the thought - no, he would do anything within his means in order to ensure that Miku was safe. He wouldn't ever allow his betrothed to be hurt by Rinto.

Ever since young, it had been a fierce competition between him and Rinto, about who should marry the Hatsune princess. But their motives for doing so had been immensely different. Len...he had fallen for her, from the very first moment he had laid eyes upon the lovely princess. And he hadn't been able to imagine taking anyone else to be his wife.

Rinto, on the other hand, cared little for such sentimentality. The main reason why Rinto Kagamine had been interested in marrying Miku Hatsune, had been because Rinto was interested in expanding his political power. His cousin was greedy, and power hungry. He would do anything in order to increase his influence...even stealing his cousin's fiancée.

Len hadn't known the true depth of Rinto's cunning, not until about a month ago. His family, the royal Kagamine family, had invited their cousins to join them. Rinto Kagamine, related through Len's father's side, and Lenka Kagamine, related through Len's mother's side. Even before their marriage, Len's parents had shared the same last name - apparently, they had been extremely distant cousins.

Lenka had come alone. Rinto had come along with what seemed to have been half of all his servants. Of course, Len and his entire family had tactfully overlooked that, letting all the servants take residence in the Kagamine palace's many rooms. It had been a family reunion, of sorts - all the young royals, getting together so that they could all catch up.

The reason why Len hadn't suspected Rinto of anything was because...well, everything had seemed so normal, between them. Of course, Len should have suspected something the moment he saw the multitude of servants Rinto had brought along, but trusting fool that he had been, he had assumed that everything had been perfectly fine. There had been no reason for Len to be suspicious of his own cousin, after all.

Rinto and Len had been good friends since childhood, so Len hadn't been wary around him, like he usually was with other royals. His parents had drilled into him that, even amongst his friends, he had to be wary - some of them might have befriended him merely for his power as a royal. But Rinto...Rinto had been family. So Len hadn't exactly bothered.

This was a painful lesson, but it was a lesson well learnt. Len now gritted his teeth, running his fingers through his dirty blond hair. Glaring at the worn dungeon wall, opposite his cell, he leant forward to grip the iron bars of his cage. He needed a way to catch the attention of Rinto's servants, for his plan to work. And he needed that new servant girl to come out.

The reason why Rinto had known of this place was because of Len's blind trust in him. Believing that his cousin hadn't held any ill intentions, Len had shown Rinto this dungeon, whose only entrance was a secret door in his room. This dungeon had been a secret room he had stumbled upon in his childhood - little had he expected to be locked up inside it, once he had grown older. He was such an idiot.

Trust was worth nothing, he knew that now. All the trust he had placed in his cousin had been worth nothing. His whole family had believed that Rinto had left the palace, along with his servants, one month ago. But that wasn't so. Instead, in the dead of night, Rinto had returned and knocked Len unconscious. When Len had come to, he had been stuck down in here.

And Rinto had taken his place as the Kagamine prince, next in line for the throne. Len felt his lips twist into a bitter smile - he had always liked that he resembled his cousin so much, because in their childhood that resemblance had enabled them to play many pranks on their unsuspecting servants. But this...now, he couldn't help but hate that eerie similarity.

Len cared little for ruling. He could do it, but only because he was the prince, the one directly next in line to the Kagamine empire. But when he had heard that Rinto had set his sights on his own fiancée, well, Len hadn't taken that so calmly. In fact, he had raged and yelled until his voice had grown hoarse, while Rinto had sat in a corner of the room and waited for him to tire out. The very memory of it made him snarl.

How he detested his cousin. Rinto didn't care one single bit for Miku - all he desired from her was her power, her throne. Miku Hatsune was the only child of the Hatsune royal family, and the throne would be passed on to her, upon her parents' deaths. Rinto wanted to marry her because he wanted to obtain control over both the Kagamine and Hatsune empires.

Power hungry little bastard. Len hoped that the slimy little brat would meet a bad end. Hopefully, on the way to the Hatsunes' palace, his carriage would go out of control, and he would plummet over the edge of a cliff...ah, but that was simply wishful thinking. And as Len had discovered, after days of rotting in this cell, wishful thinking rarely got anyone anywhere.

''Hello?'' he called out, voice sounding faintly hoarse due to the lack of use. ''Is anyone there? I need to ask for something,'' he let his voice linger, hoping that someone would come out. There was no response whatsoever, and Len frowned. He would need to make a louder sound, in order to attract the attention of Rinto's servants - but what could he do, in this case?

In a strange way, Len rather missed his cousin. At least, when his cousin had been around, Len hadn't felt bored out of his skull, not like the way he was now. He laughed softly - how strange. The prince, who just had his throne and power usurped, missing the very person who had started it all. It just showed that long periods of solitary confinement might drive any person insane. Him not excluded.

At least, when Rinto had been around, Len had been able to hear news of his betrothed. It had been such a long time since he had last seen Miku...a decade, had it been? Ten years already. Time passed by quickly. He had to wonder, how the teal haired princess had changed over the years...had she become even more lovely, from the last time he had seen her? As a child?

When his parents had told him that he was going to be engaged to Miku Hatsune, he had scarcely been able to believe his ears. The girl that he had longed for, ever since he had first seen her, as a child - actually becoming his betrothed. It had seemed too good to be true, at that moment - and it was. It was because of this engagement that a family gathering had been called, and Rinto had done all this.

From now on, Len would be avoiding any and all family gatherings. Len's eyes drifted to the bucket that was next to his bed - it was full of water, so that he could drink from it whenever he was thirsty. An idea formed, and slowly, his lips tilted up into a smile. Shakily, due to lack of energy and nourishment, Len rose from the dirt ground, stumbling over to the metal pail.

He picked the bucket up, huffing slightly from the exertion - a small part of his mind noted that his physical health had greatly deteriorated, during his incarceration - then emptied the bucket of water. The cool liquid spilled out from the pail, the splash making him wince as the water hit his thin clothes, the rest darkening the ground wherever it hit. Satisfied, he regarded the empty bucket.

Then he went over to the bars of his cell. Raising the bucket, he hit it against the bars, focusing on making as much noise as humanly possible. The loud clang of metal against metal made him flinch - it had been too long since he had last heard anything...loud. A long time since he had last experienced anything but solitude, to be honest. Loneliness was, at best, a cold companion, and a lukewarm comfort.

After keeping up the loud racket for a while, the door that led to the servant's quarters finally opened, and out came the new servant girl, her eyes filled with wariness. Instantly, Len stopped slamming the bucket against the bars, setting the metal pail down on the ground with a huff. The servant girl approached his cage carefully, like he was a trapped, feral animal.

''Yes, your Highness?'' she asked, curiosity and fear fighting a fierce battle in her gaze. Len smiled at her weakly, trying to reassure her, and to show her that he was far too undernourished to be much of a threat. Rinto did provide Len with food, just not enough for Len to maintain at full strength. Rinto was clearly being careful about his confinement.

''I was simply bored, and I desired some company, especially from one as lovely as you are,'' Len smiled at the servant girl, watching the way a light blush formed on her cheeks. _I guess that, even in this pathetically weak, emaciated state that I'm in, I can still be considered fairly attractive. _He tried not to feel guilty about using her feelings like that.

He had no choice. He couldn't exactly remain down here for the rest of his life, while Rinto went around and married his betrothed. No, Len couldn't possibly stand for that. ''Well, I suppose...if you seek company, I could sit here and talk with you, for a while?'' the servant girl offered slowly, obviously hesitant about carrying out a simple conversation with an actual royal. With a trapped prince.

Len inclined his head towards her. ''I would like that very much,'' he smiled at her. ''Thank you for being willing to spend time with me. I know that...you're advised to spend as much time away from me as possible?'' he let his words hang, sounding faintly questioning. The servant girl blushed all the harder, ducking her head as she tried to avoid his piercing gaze.

''It's fine, and I don't have anything to do now, anyway,'' she said stubbornly. She sat at the other side of his cell, watching him. ''So what does Your Highness wish to talk about?''

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Len smiled as he watched the servant girl scurry away, still seeming rather flustered. In his hand, he held an hairpin from her head, and with the help of this hairpin, he knew that he would definitely be able to escape this cell. If there was one thing that Len was good that, then it would have to be lock picking.

Holding the ornate hairpin in his hand, he stared at the lock of his cage, studying it. Slowly, carefully, he slid the tip of the hairpin into the lock, then moved it up and down. Luckily, it was a fairly basic lock, and it didn't take too long for him to pick it - with a few careful wriggles, something clicked, and the lock came undone. Len smirked, satisfied - at least he knew that he still hadn't lost his skill at lock picking.

After his conversation with the servant girl had concluded, Len had asked for some kind of memento, in order to remember her by - namely, he had asked her for her hairpin. Without a second thought, she had passed it to him, then she had quickly gone out of the room, into the servants' quarters, fearing that she had spent far too much time with the prince.

Len pushed open the door of his cage, then stepped out into freedom. Instantly, he gripped the bars of the cage, feeling a little woozy - it had been a long time since he had moved so much. Usually, all he did was sit in a corner, and glare at everything around him. Now that he was finally out, he felt more...invigorated, all of a sudden. Like he could do whatever he wished, whenever he wished. The way he once could.

He would never take his freedom for granted again. What had once seemed to be such a cheap, unnoticeable privilege, suddenly took great precedence above everything else. Freedom was the one thing he knew he never wanted to lose again - the freedom to move, the freedom to make his own choices. The freedom to go wherever he wished to go.

Darting a wary look around the chamber, he slipped out of the room, grabbing one of the lit torches in the braziers, set into the walls of the room. With the lone light source in hand, he placed his hand flat against the stone wall, using it for support as he walked up the winding staircase. Back to freedom.

He would need to get freshened up, then start heading towards the Hatsunes' palace. He knew the way - the Hatsunes' palace wasn't too far away from the Kagamines' own, though the journey took roughly a week, on horseback. He might be able to catch up with Rinto, since his cousin had only left yesterday. But then, there was the problem of his physical state. Was he strong enough to travel, for now?

Well, he didn't have any option. He couldn't let Rinto corrupt Miku - given a choice, Rinto had absolutely no scruples about what he did, in order to get what he wanted. Len feared the endless possibilities - there was no telling what Rinto might do to Miku, just to ensure that his iron grip on power wasn't threatened.

Len would avoid running into the rest of his family, especially Rin - this was so he could avoid unnecessary trouble, trying to explain the delicate matters between him and Rinto. Then, he would grab something to eat, saddle a horse in the stables, and set off for the Hatsunes' palace. Len felt his lips set into a grimace - he couldn't afford to dawdle. He had already wasted one whole month of his life.

It was time to do something, to change the situation that he was stuck in. Time was of the essence here. He couldn't possibly let Rinto get his hands on his fiancée, not again.


End file.
